Master of Puppets
by Lady Ava
Summary: Harsh memories come back to haunt Aerrow as the team prepares for a new mission. But when they discover the base of the original Storm Hawks, more than memories begin to plague the young sky knight. AerrowxPiper.
1. Unwelcome Nightmares

**Master of Puppets**  
By Lady Ava

**Author's Notes:** So, I have gotten into the show Storm Hawks and let me tell you, I love it to death. So, this is just a little idea I came up with out of boredom and the urge to write something different. So, here we go.

**Chapter One**  
Unwelcome Nightmares

"_Aerrow, you listen and you listen good. Stay here and protect yourself and Radarr. Do you understand me? This is very important." A woman's rushed tone told him. Although the words were harsh, they seemed to bring a sense of belonging and importance to him. _

_Nodding, the boy straightened up. He was short for being nine. Bright red hair that always seemed a mess as if he had just rolled out of bed was still a bit on the short side then. Behind his growing bangs, a rare set of emerald eyes gazed up at the woman. He kept his knees drawn up to his chest, tiny fingers linked together as he sat curled up in a ball. He sniffled as he watched his mother take hold of his shoulder, making sure he understood what she said. "I will mommy. You can count on me." He exclaimed, holding a small trembling Radarr closer to him. _

_The woman, her red hair glowing in the light of the fiery lights outside, let a smile cross her face. Tears slowly started to fill her crystal blue eyes as they watched Aerrow carefully and fondly. She knelt and brought him into her arms. She clung tightly to him, trying to hide her tear-stained face from her son. Her lips, trembling softly, laid upon his brow, a small kiss. _

"_I love you Aerrow. No matter what happens, know that."_

"_I love you too, mom…" _

_Suddenly, the image turned a burning red, as if dripping in blood. He couldn't feel the hold of his mother any more as he felt himself falling deeper into the unknown. Blackness began to rise up around his senses, making it hard to breathe. There were faint cries in the distance. Screams of terror that became muffled and overpowered by the dark as he began to struggle to find his breath. The liquid rose up and over Aerrow's head, suffocating him slowly. Grabbing at his throat, he tried to let sound escape him. To call out to his mother and let her know that he was sorry; that he was going to die. He opened his mouth to scream…_

* * *

Aerrow cracked his eyes opened quickly, letting the veil of darkness leave him. The image of the house and his mother seemed to fade back into the depths of the sleep-filled mind as he let a small gasp escape him. He was stretched out in his small bed in a familiar cabin that he had come to know as home. His sheets were contorted about him as he lay there, trembling ever so slightly while taking in gulps of air. Blinking a few more times, he rolled onto his side, letting his vision focus on his surroundings.

It was a decent sized room, just a little larger than the others on the Condor. A small desk was bolted down to the floor near the far side of the room, covered with papers and books. On the back of the chair, sat his normal clothes and armor, awaiting for him to rise out of bed and head up to the bridge. His weapons sat upon the end table next to his bed, while a few smaller pictures were propped beside them. Above his bed, three small windows were perched, letting some of the sunlight enter the steel room.

Rolling over onto his back, the young man let his eyes look up to the ceiling. In all the months of passing the trails and flying of to defend the Atmos from Cyclonia, any and all memories seemed to slip away from him of his past. It was the first time in months that he had dreamt of his home. Not aboard the ship, but the Terra that he knew all too well when he was still young. Despite being only fifteen, it seemed almost like centuries since the thought of his family came to him; since that night came to him. Every detail of his nightmare seemed so fresh in his thoughts, yet so far behind him all at once. They gnawed at his mind, trying to force the images back to him.

Bringing up his arm, he rested it over his eyes in an attempt to shield some of the sunlight seeping through the small windows. There was a thin layer of cold sweat upon his face as he took in a deep breath to calm and relax his mind from the dream. After all, it was only a memory and a dream. Nothing more and nothing less. Letting his other arm move a bit to his side, he realized that there was something missing. Normally, Radarr would curl himself up into a ball next to Aerrow while he slept. If anything, it was a force of habit for the little creature. But now, his normal spot was empty.

'Huh. That's weird.' He thought, his mind still in a fog. 'Normally, I'm the only up first.'

"Aerrow!" a familiar paranoid voice called over the loud speaker, causing him to draw back his arm so that only a small portion of his eye could be seen. "We need you on the bridge. There is a small…situation that needs attending too."

* * *

Taking in one more deep breath, the young sky knight threw back the covers of his bed. Rising to his feet, he quickly proceeded to dress, though left his armor off for the time being. Glancing in the mirror for a brief moment, he looked at his normal messy hair and green eyes. He wasn't one for taking the time out to style and gel his hair like a certain blond on the ship. Last time he checked, hair products weren't a key aspect to bringing down the Cyclonians or the Dark Ace.

Nodding at his appearance, he hurried out of the sliding doors and into the hall. Moving into another small hallway off to the side of the main one, Aerrow took off, turning and twisting past different doors. Some lead to the other's living quarters, while another went to the galley, washrooms, and medical bay. And yet, he continued to walk down the same hallway until he reached a set of old stairs. Skipping two at a time, he made his way towards a door that sat at the end of the hall. As he approached, it jumped opened, just in time to have his normal start of day conversation.

"This is a terrible disaster," Stork's voice echoed throughout the room, causing the red head to smirk.

All five of his teammates stood posed about the briefing table. Each set of eyes were cast down upon what Piper had laid out before them. There were books and scrolls stacked up near the middle, while a few flight models where sitting beside them. While there were chairs there for them to sit, all were standing, looking closely at what was before them.

Finn glanced up from the Merb, raising an eyebrow slightly, "You think everything is a disaster." He told flatly, pointing at the green pilot as if trying to reinforce his words. "Why can't you think positively just once?"

But Stork sulked back a bit in his normal cowering state. His eyes darted about slightly as he placed his fingers together, drumming them slightly. "Shall we remember the Black Gorge?" he reminded, finally settling his eyes upon the sharpshooter once more. There was a hint of amusement in his stare as he watched Finn suddenly stiffen.

"I was over that Gorge Madness in a week," the blond retorted, withdrawing his questioning glance. Aerrow could only shake his head a bit as he saw the blond pout and look as if he were about to throw a hissy fit. For one of the best sharpshooters in all of Atmos, he knew his friend to be just a bit more of a kid than most. Never the less, it didn't matter when it came to when the Talons attacked. Finn was always there to cover his back, no matter what.

Glancing behind her, Piper was the first to notice the sky knight's presence. She gave him a small smirk, her hair falling slightly into her eyes as always. Turning to face him more head on, she crossed her arms over her chest, looking down as the red head approached the table. "Well, look who finally rolled out of bed." She spoke up, silencing the rest of the team.

Her voice was filled with a sarcasm that made Aerrow pause for a moment. "What are you talking about?" he asked, looking at his team curiously.

"Dude, it's like almost three in the afternoon," Finn told, his child-like stature gone. He crossed his arms as well, looking over at him with a smirk. "I wish I had the luxury of sleeping in. How come you get to and the rest of us are up at the crack of dawn?" he questioned, jokingly but almost as if he had pondered the answer to it for a while.

Aerrow felt his guilt rise up within him. It wasn't fair to this crew and friends that he did sleep in, but it was always a rare case when he did so. Looking at the marksman, the young knight sighed slightly, "I was up reading up on some new Terras that are located around this area. When I finally got to sleep, the sun was coming up." He admitted, trying to ignore the fact that Radarr had climbed up onto his shoulder where he would normally perch himself.

Junko looked up from the books laid out on the table before him. "You should try to take it easy, ya know? Night is for sleep, not for work." He told happily to his leader, his normal goofy grin upon his face. The Wallop was always one to grin and try to make a small bit of sense out of what seemed like overly complex situations with simple solutions.

"Its also when the dark crawling blood leeches tend to come out to feed on the tired mind," Stock added on quickly, popping up beside Piper with a small twitch of his eye, "No way to pry them off once they attach to your neck. It's a slow and painful demise." He added, leaning in closer to wear Aerrow stood, causing the red head to withdraw slightly, eyes widened slightly at the Merb.

"Either way, I'm sorry that it happened," Aerrow spoke quickly, letting himself regain some kind of composer from Stork's strange comments. "But can we go back to the important matter of the Terras and the Cyclonian trade lines?"

Piper smiled at the words, happy to see that despite his late start, Aerrow was willing to work with her instead of wasting time. Ever since she had pretended to leave the Storm Hawks, Aerrow had become somewhat more focused on helping her with plans and making sure that the team was able to follow them. She did agree to tone down the complexity of them if it would make Finn and the others follow them, but they still did have that aspect that made them brilliant.

Leaning over the large meeting table, the young woman started to pull maps closer to where Aerrow had joined the discussion. "According to the scouting that Finn and I did this morning, the Cyclonians have been moving a lot of crystals through an old abandoned trade root through the eastern part of Atmos." She began, making sure that everyone was focused in around her. Receiving a nod from the red head, Piper continued on. "Apparently, they are shipping crystals of some kind into Cyclonia, though we can't determine what they are. For all we know, they could be more Leechers, so taking a crate might prove to be a bad move like last time." She said, eyeing Finn a bit at the comment.

"Which Terras are they moving through?" Aerrow questioned, not even bothering to remove his eyes from the maps before him. He recognized the area that Piper had laid out before him, but there were so many smaller Terras in that area, there was no way that they were using all of them for the route.

"Can't say for certain right now," she explained, crossing her arms. "If we had hung around any longer, we might have been spotted."

Nodding, Aerrow continued to look over the maps in silence. Now that there was valuable information in their possession, a course of action would be needed. Cyclonia had seemed to be pushing themselves farther out towards the east of Atmos, since most of the central Terras had already fallen to their power or at least were hanging on by a thread to freedom. The Storm Hawks had been able to cause a lot of headaches with their interfering in the plans of the Dark Ace and his Talons. Along with the other remaining sky knight squadrons, the resistance was gaining power and strength. Any leg up against Cyclonia was something that they were all willing to jump at.

Straightening himself up, Aerrow let his classic grin cross his lips at he looked to his team. "Okay. Let's go in for a better look. We won't go in with the Condor. Stay near the outer rim of the main line and then take the skimmers in for some more close-up recon." He looked to his friends, who all returned the smiles and nods of approval. Radarr squeaked in his ear, giving his okay as well. "Alright then. Stork, set a course for these coordinates."

The Merb quickly moved across the bridge in his normal panic-style fashion. Glancing out of the large windows before him, he looked out at the sea of blue and clouds before him. Letting his yellow eyes narrow a bit, he pulled a few leavers, kicking the engines into a higher gear than before. "I think there might be some kind of storm coming in," he told, looking back over his shoulder at the team.

But Aerrow and Piper were already deep in conversation about an idea of how to go in for a better look. The two were glancing over the maps, talking quietly between themselves about the ideas that might help them get on the Terras. Junko had vanished to the engine room to make sure that the equipment was ready for the mission when they arrived. Finn moved towards where Stork stood, looking out at the clear skies that were out before the Condor.

"If that's the case," Finn told with a smile, "then we just fly around it. Duh."

Pouting a bit, Stork looked back to his controls. "Not exactly what I meant." He muttered. He placed his hands to the steering, letting the Condor's extra kick of the energy sending them flying out towards their destination.

* * *

Author's Note: Just starting to get the gears turning. Hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to read and review.


	2. The Plans of Good and Evil

**Author's Note**: I'm going to attempt to keep these chapters a bit shorter than in my normal style of writing. Hopefully it will pick up a bit more with this chapter and the upcoming ones as well.

**Chapter Two**  
The Plans of Good and Evil

The faint clatter of armor echoed throughout the large hallways of the palace. A tall man took long strides within one of the larger corridors of Cyclonia, his jet black hair hanging slightly in his face. His perfectly armor held true to his form, the Talon's seal almost shining within the low light of his surroundings. Upon his back was his sheathed blade, ready to be removed at a moments notice. His helmet was tucked under his arm as he continued to walk, cold red eyes focused forward.

Outside, the skies were their normal tinge of blood red, while beams of strong lighting would occasionally flash, illuminating the sky. Rolls of thunder would follow shortly after as large cruisers flew in and out of docking bays. A few skimmers encircled the castle on guard patrol, keeping a careful and watchful eye out for any unwanted guests.

And still he walked as if all noise was blocked out from his thoughts. Coming to the end of the long hallway stood two double doors. A guard on each side, they watched as he approached them, not even slowing his pace. The two scrambled from their positions, racing to place their hands upon the handles of the doors. They opened them at the same time, allowing the man to continue walking without a word or a falter in his step. He brushed past the two foot soldiers as if they were nothing, entering the room.

Cyclonis' lab had been rebuilt into its once former glory. Large marble pillars surrounded the large circular room while upon the floor was the symbol of Cyclonia, the red Talon. Beyond the seal, stood the large crystal converter. Its mechanical arms were moving about in a frenzy, grabbing and moving different stones to other hands. Below the massive machine stood a small figure of a young woman, cloaked in her elegant purple robes, her back turned towards where the man came to a halt.

Placing his fist to his chest, the man bowed deeply, "Master Cyclonis. You summoned me?" he spoke firmly, showing no fear towards his leader.

The girl did not even turn from her work. Keeping her figures connected to the keyboard before her, she straightened up a bit, "I have a job for you Dark Ace," she spoke, her voice quiet and yet could strike fear into any man's heart. "Something I think you'll enjoy."

The man smiled at the words, "I am at your command master." He spoke, raising his gaze to the girl.

"Good," Cyclonis said flatly. Holding up one of her hands, the machine reacted. A small crystal came from the storage unit within, coming into the woman's hand. Turning to face her knight, the hood of her cloak spread opened, revealing her stern gaze and sleek black hair. Raising the stone up before her, she looked down at the man. "Do you know what this is?" she questioned, causing the man to straighten himself up.

It was the strangest crystal he had ever laid his eyes upon. Though glowing red in color, within its core was a black and swirling smoke. Small sparks of yellow lighting seemed to flicker within, almost mimicking the storm outside. The stone was small, smaller than most average crystals, for Master Cyclonis held it between her thumb and index finger without any stretch or strain to her delicate fingers.

Not waiting for him to answer her, she smiled her twisted grin, "This is a stone of my own invention. I call it a controller." Stepping away from her machine, Cyclonis approached the Dark Ace, the crystal still outstretched, "When placed into a weapon, all one must do is stab their victim and the crystal will enter their body. Then, whenever I call upon it, they will come and act upon my command."

For once, the man did not let his surprise be hidden. His eyes widened as she came closer to him, drawing the stone back into her hold. "Impressive," was the only word he could find to speak at that very moment.

Smiling even more so at his awe, Master Cyclonis glanced away from him. "That is only the beginning," she muttered, causing the man to focus once more. "According to my scouts, the…Storm Hawks are heading in the direction of our mining route in the east. I believe you are familiar with that territory," she shot a stern glare back at him, "…am I correct?"

The Dark Ace stiffened slightly, then gave a large grin in return, "Yes. Very familiar."

"I also understand that you are on familiar terms with their sky knight," she continued on, keeping her tone abrupt. She turned her back to him once more, letting her grin become even more twisted.

"Yes," he answered again, seeing where the plan was beginning to turn.

Spinning quickly upon her heels, Cyclonis let her narrow eyes glow with excitement. "Take him down with this. Separate him from his squadron and use this crystal on him. When the time is right," She spoke, her tone malicious as her eyes pierced through the knight. "…he will be the one to destroy the Storm Hawks." Holding out the crystal to him, the smile faded slightly from her lips, "There is no room for error. And I will not tolerate failure."

Removing the crystal from her slender fingers, the Dark Ace stared at it for a moment. Placing it into his side pouch of his uniform, he then bowed once more to the young woman. "As you command, Master Cyclonis." He spoke without falter.

Letting her hood return to its closed state, Cyclonis moved back towards her crystal machine. The sounds of the man leaving the room made her smile even more so than ever. "I do not tolerate mistakes," she muttered to herself, letting her hands come back to the keyboard. "And you, Dark Ace, are on your last leg."

* * *

The small clusters of Terras in the east were almost two hours from where the team had set out from. Finn and Junko had retreated to the hanger to work on the skimmers and to refuel them for the mission. Radarr had joined them, touching up and fixing up parts of Aerrow's skimmer, knowing that his pilot was working on some kind of strategy with Piper. The three blasted Finn's music loudly through the large area, doing more joking than work. Stork had kept himself up in the bridge, making sure they managed to stay on course while keeping watch for any kind of danger or Cyclonian look outs. Though not the Merb's favorite choice of activity, he was good at being able to keep a sharp eye out for anything that wasn't a friendly force. 

Piper and Aerrow had moved into the girl's crystal lab, trying to figure out a game plan for them to get down onto the small Terras below them. Aerrow had found himself sitting on the girl's bed, watching her pace back and forth, trying to think of some strategy. He knew that she was always like this before a big mission, trying to analyze every possible scenario that could happen and a way to get around it if need be. Back and forth she moved, rambling things that made little or no sense to him. On the rare instant that she would stop, Piper would place her hand to her chin in thought, complete silence for about five seconds, then continue on her ramblings.

And all the while, Aerrow sat with his head resting on his hand, letting his green eyes follow her back and forth. He knew that everything she was saying was important, but never the less, he couldn't help but want to zone out a tad. As she made herself stop for a forth time since she had begun her rambles, he let his eyes wander up to the ceiling for a brief moment.

His thoughts began to drift back to the dream he had that morning. The notion of his home were lingering in the back of his mind since he had managed to crawl out of bed. His mother's sweet voice still hung in his ears, making a feeling of discontent come over him. The thought was from that night. No matter what he did, it would never be gone from his thoughts. And yet, for some reason, most of it seemed fuzzy and blurred, as if he didn't want to have it be remembered. Whatever had happened after his mother had given him that embrace had been long since cleared from his thoughts. And no matter how hard he tried, no memory would come back to him.

"So, if you're able to find out what kind of crystals they're shipping, we could figure out what Cyclonis is up to." Piper told happily, closing up one of her notebooks in her hand.

Shaking out his wandering thoughts, Aerrow straightened himself up a bit. "What?" he muttered, sounding somewhat dazed and mildly confused.

Placing her hands to her hips, the girl looked him over once with frustration, "You weren't even listening to a word I said, were you?" she inquired, tossing the book back to her work desk.

Rubbing his neck a bit, Aerrow let his eyes cast away from her and to the floor, "Sorry. Just didn't sleep that well last night." He admitted quietly, trying to avoid eye contact with her.

"Radarr kicking you in his sleep again with his dream about running away from that chicken?" she asked, sounding like she was trying to lighten the mood from the one-sided serious discussion they had only moments ago.

Looking up once more, Aerrow watched as the girl moved over to sit at her work desk. Her back was turned to him as she placed down a pair of goggles over her eyes and reached for some purple crystal that he had never seen before. There was a small bowl in front of her filled halfway with crystal dust that was a dull red color. She leaned over the substance, slowly bringing the rock to hover above it.

A smile came to his lips as he watched her slowly lower the crystal and then raise it to recreate a small column of red dust. It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed her before, seeing as he saw her every single day. And yet, Piper seemed all the more amazing every single time she would speak to him. She was brilliant and quick to keep them in line when Aerrow would even slip up. She was always there for him, backing him up in no matter what situation. He would never admit it to her or any of his other teammates. Not even Radarr knew that he thought that way about her. If she didn't feel the same way in return, it would be awkward for the whole squadron. Not to mention he wouldn't hear the end of it from Finn and Junko if they ever found out.

"Nightmare," he finally spoke after the few moments of silence.

Pulling back at the stone to make the small tower of dust settle again, Piper rose up her goggles. She turned quickly to look at him, her face softening slightly. "A nightmare?"

Aerrow could only nod. The thought made his stomach churn and his skin crawl. His face felt as if it had drained of all color as he quickly clamped his slightly trembling hands together. He knew that he had kept things from the rest of his squadron. Things that he knew were truly none of their business to know. At least, not now.

Although he tried to conceal his sudden turn, Piper was sharper than that. She rose from her spot at the desk and hurried to his side. Sitting herself down beside him, the girl leaned in a bit, trying to get a better look at his green eyes.

"Aerrow?" she asked, a calmness in her tone that the sky knight had never heard before in her voice. "Do you wanna talk about it? Sometimes that –"

"It was just a nightmare. Nothing to be concerned about." He spoke quickly, trying to end the conversation then and now. He mentally slapped himself for letting that slip out. Sky knights were not supposed to show weakness. Not to their enemies and never to their squad. Shaking his head a bit, he forced out a smile. "I'm fine."

But Piper's eyes narrowed at him. Reaching over, she placed a hand to his. Watching her do so made some of the color quickly return to his face, suddenly feeling slightly flushed. Aerrow felt her grasp on him tighten for a brief moment, then relaxed once more. "If you're fine, then why are you shaking?" she questioned, looking up at him.

"Its stress," he quickly spoke, trying to force his hands to remain still. "Ya know, the mission and everything."

Once more, Piper was not convinced. "But, you're never nervous before missions. You're the one most likely to be the first to your skimmer and out the door before the rest of us are ready to go." As she spoke to him, her voice was soft and calm. It was this kind of conversation that was a rare one on board the Condor. One that was few and far between with any member in his squad.

Sighing slightly, Aerrow let his shoulders slump a bit. He leaned forward on her bed, resting his arms to his knees. Closing his eyes for a moment, he let his hand run though his messy hair, trying to relax himself once more. "It was just…unsettling." He admitted quietly.

"I could imagine so," she said, keeping her hand upon his own. "When Radarr came onto the bridge before you, he looked kinda shaken up as well." She told him, causing his eyes to meet her own for the first time. "He seemed to be upset that you kicked him in your sleep."

Remembering the mess of sheets when he had awoken made the red head realize what must have happened. With all of his tossing and turning, he must have either rolled onto or hit his poor co-pilot. He never wanted to do something like that to his friend. There would be no way that he would. The thought made him feel even lower than ever.

Sliding a bit closer to him, Piper let her grip tighten upon his hands once more. They were shoulder to shoulder, letting some of her weight rest upon him. In all the years that she had known Aerrow, she had never seen him so unnerved about something. Normally, he was the happy and determined sky knight that they all knew and respected as a leader. Even when he went through the trials, there was not this much uneasiness in his being.

"I know you think that you have to do everything yourself Aerrow," she muttered quietly, letting her head rest slightly on his shoulder. "But you don't have to put so much weight on mind. It's not good for you." Reaching up to his face, Piper took hold of his chin. Turning his head so that her orange eyes could meet his green, she smiled. "We're all here for you. And we're a squadron, which makes us a family."

Taking in a sharp breath, Aerrow quickly rose to his feet. Piper moved back slightly at his sudden rush to stand, seemingly alarmed at how quickly he had pulled away from her. He stood himself as tall as he could, taking in a deep breath as he did so. As much he wished he could bring himself to tell her, there was no possible way. He moved for the door quickly, not even bothering to turn around to face where Piper was still sitting.

He could feel his heart racing in his chest. If any of the color was gone from his face, it was most definitely back in a ten fold, nearly matching his hair. To suddenly have her so close to him made Aerrow feel a wave of dizziness and an unsettling feeling in his stomach. But, it was in a good way. A way he had never really felt before.

"I'm…going out for some air. Have Stork call me when we're close." He spoke in his normal authoritative way. Before there was any rebuttal or call from the girl could be heard, the sky knight was already out the door and set off down the hall at a quick jog, hoping not to run into any more of his teammates until the flushed feeling left his face.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Lots more action coming in the next chapter. Don't forget to read and review!


	3. Surprise Attack

**Author's Notes**: Thank you for the comments and favs everyone! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. The next few chapters after this one might come a bit slower with me moving back to school in a few days. But I will try to update ASAP.  
Enjoy!

**Chapter Three**  
Surprise Attack

Night had fallen upon the world of Atmos. The sky had become a deep shade of blue, while once white clouds slowly faded away into a complimenting grey. One by one, the stars began to appear above, slowly fading into view. A perfect crescent moon hung above in the skies, almost as if it were a painting. The air was like a perfect summer evening; A bit cool with no humidity. And it was just the way Aerrow liked it.

The young sky knight sat out on the landing strip of the Condor, looking out ahead of him. He let the cool breeze brush his red hair from his face as he sat with his arms resting upon his knees. Radarr sat beside him, curled up as if attempted to catch a nap in the early evening air. The two best friends had taken a liking to this small escape just as the sun went down. It was a good time for them to clear their heads of the thoughts of the day and just find a moment to relax. The others knew where they were if they were needed, but no one ever really bothered them.

Taking in a deep breath, Aerrow closed his eyes for a moment. He thought back to his nightmare from that morning, trying to rid himself once and for all of the horrible thought. Letting it slip back into the far reaches of his mind, he started for the more recent events. The thought of the few moments that he had with Piper in her lab was something that made his face flush a bit, though he wished he hadn't been so quick to run away. Deep down, he felt like a moron for just leaving her hanging like that. But he knew there could never be a relationship that was anymore than a friend. Though, sometimes, he would think that if he hadn't become a sky knight, there would have been a chance with her.

Letting the breeze ruffle his hair a bit more, Aerrow let that thought soon slip away as well. The night was becoming like those he remembered from his home. Back when it wasn't a ship, but a Terra. Glancing down beside him, he smiled a bit at Radarr, who seemed content and completely calm. "The long nights waiting up for dad to come back, roaming through the woods behind the house with you, hoping to get lucky and find a rare crystal." He paused, looking back up into the star-filled sky, "Seems like so long ago, doesn't it?"

Radarr growled in approval, lifting his head slightly to look up at his friend. Looking down at his little creature, the red haired teen scratched him on top of the head a bit, causing the little animal to lower its head once more. He smiled a bit to see Radarr fall victim so easily to a scratch in the right place. Who would have thought that it was so simple to take down the little ball of energy by something so minimal? Then again, Aerrow was the only one Radarr ever let pet him in such a manner. True that he trusted the rest of the squad just as much as his partner, but Radarr was still Aerrow's best friend; no matter what.

Aerrow looked back to the sky. The final traces of light were beginning to fade away to make way for the night. The stars were becoming even clearer than before, turning the heavens into a dazzling show. If someone were to be on any terra, they wouldn't have a view like his. It was one of many things that made being a sky knight well worth it.

Sighing a bit, the teen rose to his feet. He stretched out his back and legs a bit, feeling various parts of his stiffened body crack and loosen once more. Looking down at the little creature, he met his gaze with a grin. "Come on Radarr," he said, extending out his arm. Accepting the help, Radarr quickly scurried up to Aerrow's shoulder, clinging to him as he turned to move back inside.

But before the young man could take another step towards the hanger doors, Radarr's ears suddenly perked. A low growl escaped the creature, his head turning quickly to glance behind him. Leaping from his spot on Aerrow's shoulder, he looked back out into the sky, his fur beginning to stand on end.

Aerrow quickly turned on his heels, raising an eyebrow to his friend. "Radarr, what's gotten into you?" he asked, seeing that the animal did not turn his gaze away from the sky.

Looking out towards where he was focused, the red head narrowed his eyes for a moment. He let them try to adjust to the darkness, letting his senses rise to a more heightened level. For a moment, he thought that his so-pilot was just overacting to something that he thought might have been there. The creature was sometimes even more jittery than Stork on some levels, though not by much.

Suddenly, he felt his blood run cold. There, off onto the horizon was a six man squadron of Talons. Their skimmers soared through the fading light, making them almost like shadows against the sky. Red flickers of their energy blades being activated could been seen as they almost seemed to pick up speed, their course directed for the Condor.

'Shit,' Aerrow cursed to himself. Rounding about quickly, he headed for the hanger as fast as his feet could carry him. He knew that Radarr was close at his heels, ready to get into action. It was in that brief moment that he was glad he had placed his armor on before he headed out to the deck. For once, his 'better safe than sorry' thought had actually come in handy.

As he dashed into the hanger towards his skimmer, the door to the inner part of the ship flew opened. Junko, Finn, and Piper came running into the room, armor on and weapons in hand. They looked to Aerrow who just gave a small nod to them. The group hurried to their bikes, leaping onto them and letting the engines roar echo throughout the ship.

"How did they know we were coming?" Finn questioned, loading his crossbow onto his bike. "The scanners didn't pick up any scouts or lookouts."

Piper quickly double-checked her fuel levels then revved the engine once more, "Must have had another cloaking crystal. They don't register on the scanners or scopes."

Glancing back to make sure that Radarr was securely placed in his small side car, Aerrow got the thumbs up that he was ready to go. Nodding, the young sky knight kicked up the stand for his bike and let the force of the engine propel him forward, sending him out onto the runway. He revved his bike on more, letting himself be thrown from the edge of the Condor. It took about two seconds for Radarr to open the wings to his bike, letting it transform. The two flew out into the night sky, hearing the others come up behind them.

Soaring forward towards the Cyclonian squadron, Aerrow let his eyes narrow slightly. From the way the enemy was set up, he knew that there would only be one person that would be flying out in front. There was a surge of anger in the youth, knowing what would be coming. Letting his mind focus, he kept the glare forward. He knew that his team members would be able to handle the Talons without another question. It was just a matter of handling it quickly before more re-enforcements would come in.

"It seems that you Storm Hawks," a voice echoed across the opened sky that made the red head tighten his hold on the bars of his bike. "just don't know when to keep you noses out of other people's business."

The familiar smirk of the Dark Ace was coming into view. Standing upon the wings of his skimmer, he stood tall. His large energy sword was drawn, illuminating his face in an even more demonic fashion. Shined steel armor clung to him and his helmet kept his black hair from his face.

"Flank out," Aerrow shouted back to the others. "Take out the lesser foot soldiers first. Make sure to watch each other's backs. I'll take the Dark Ace."

"We got your back buddy," Junko called back, charging off to the left.

Finn gave him the thumbs up, "No worries," he called, giving a cocky grin that only he could give as he shot to the right, Piper following close behind on her heliscooter.

Jumping up onto the wings of his skimmer, Aerrow withdrew his blades, letting their blue light shine brightly. Radarr jumped up into the pilot's seat, keeping the plane balanced as the young sky knight took up a fighting stance. "Dark Ace!" He called back, as if accepting the challenge that had yet to be placed out.

The two leapt into the air at the same time, letting their skimmers miss by a mere few inches. The blades collided in the air, sparks flying as they hit repeatedly. Pushing back from the older man, Aerrow back flipped onto his skimmer. He landed in the pilot seat just as Radarr had scurried back to his position.

Turning quickly, he could see that the Dark Ace had managed to land upon his ride as well. He was rounding about quickly, readying himself for another attack. The brief pause gave Aerrow a chance to make sure his team was okay. Junko had managed to take out two of the skimmers at once, letting his fists knock the pilots from their rides. Finn fired another Talon out of commission with a direct hit to the engine of the bike, then managed to whirl about to get a hold of another one that was coming up on Piper's tail. The girl used a freeze crystal on one of the other engines of the skimmers, sending the rider down.

Grinning, Aerrow let himself give another charge to the Dark Ace. He remained in his seat as he and the man spun, letting their blades clash as they passed by quickly. Circling about once more, the young sky knight jumped to his feet again. "Its time to end this." He growled as he saw the Dark Ace prepare for another pass by.

Closing his eyes, Aerrow could feel the surge of energy begin to build in his body. Every muscle from his head to feet tensed as he took in a deep breath. Letting his eyes flash opened to reveal a raging set of blue flames, he leapt into the air. Wings of energy appeared at his sides as the threw his arms back, letting the attack become unleashed.

Seeing the young sky knight power his attack, the Dark Ace grinned. 'Just like I knew he would,' he thought. Stretching out his blade, the man fired off shots at the young man's skimmer. The small creature tried to evade it as best as he could, though his effort proved to be a mislead one. As Aerrow released his Lighting Claw, the skimmer was taken out from beneath him.

Aerrow let himself touch down onto the bike, cursing to himself that he had let the attack miss. Crouching down, he let his eyes focus as the energy surge left him. Down below him, he could see his skimmer falling and a small parachute being deployed. Though the time for question was short, he quickly spun into a standing position, just in time to let his blades meet that of the Dark Ace.

"You seem to have gotten stronger then the last time we met, Aerrow," the man spoke, a slight twinge of sarcasm within his voice. "Though you still need to work on those landings of yours."

Aerrow could feel his arms beginning to tremble from the pressure of the man pressing against his blades. He gritted his teeth as he stared into the red eyes of the Dark Ace. "And you need to think of better things to talk about when we meet. Your material is getting stale." He spoke, letting a smirk escape him.

But instead of being taken aback by the comment, the Cyclonian only laughed. Pushing back from Aerrow, he threw his leg up, throwing out swift roundhouse kick colliding with the side of Aerrow's head. The sky knight spun slightly, falling onto his back. He forced himself to look up at the man as he held out his blade, the hot red energy very close to the side of his neck. "You young ones never know how to fight properly. Just like the original Storm Hawks. Never taking your fights seriously. Underestimating your enemies. That's how you end up dead," he paused as a twisted grin formed upon his lips, "…just like your father."

The words made the young man's eyes widen in shock. He could feel the man pressing his blade closer to him as he tried to let himself be pushed upright. "What…what did you just say?" he muttered, letting his anger come to the surface.

"You heard me boy," he said flatly. "Or maybe you just don't remember what happened that night?"

Aerrow looked up, question growing inside his mind. Perhaps the hit that Dark Ace gave to his head was making his thoughts jumbled, but he was growing even more confused about his words. He placed his blades up into a guard position, trying to shake away the whatever mind game he was trying to play with him.

The Dark Ace could see what Aerrow was trying to do. Glancing a bit over the side of his skimmer, the man gave an even more twisted grin than ever before. "Maybe a trip back might set you straight boy." He told.

Before Aerrow could answer the cryptic words, the man's boot collided with the side of his stomach, sending him tumbling off the skimmer. The blow was hard, making him cringe in pain. Shutting his eyes, Aerrow felt the wind rush past his ears while the laughter of the Dark Ace echoed from above. He could hear the shouts of his friends as he fell, trying to get him to open his eyes. His blades deactivated in his hands, letting them fade back to their dull steel color. In his mind, he knew he had to react. But his mind couldn't seem to focus.

Suddenly, a firm grasp came to his arm, stopping his fall. Letting his eyes open, Aerrow looked up to see Piper grabbing onto him tightly. The girl's face seemed to strain slightly as she tried to keep a hold on him. Helping her as best as he could, he reached up with his free hand to grab hold of a piece of the bike's armor, taking some of his weight off of her. He began to swing up behind her, placing his weapons back into their place on his back.

"Thanks for the lift," he spoke, taking in a deep breath.

"You okay?" she called back to him, glancing over her shoulder.

Cringing slightly at the blow to his side, Aerrow nodded in return. "Nothing I can't live through." He remarked back, averting his eyes up once more.

The Dark Ace had vanished from his sights, making him remove his weapons once more. He scanned the skies above and below, hoping to get one more shot at the man. His words were like acid burning in his thoughts, making him wonder why he had tried to bring it up. There was nothing more that very moment Aerrow wanted to do then to get one more shot at the Cyclonian.

It was in an instant. A flash of red light shot through the propeller of Piper's heliscooter. The girl looked down at the controls as they began to smoke and beep like mad. Glancing up, the young sky knight could see the devilish grin of the Dark Ace as he began to speed off into the night, the red from his skimmer trailing behind him. A thick cloud of smoke began to billow from the bike as he forced his mind back to the matter at hand.

"It's no good! I've lost control!" She called over her shoulder to Aerrow.

There was no time to hesitate. Without warning, Aerrow took hold of the girl around the waist. Leaning with all of his weight, he pulled her from the machine, sending them into a freefall. The girl screamed for the first few seconds, realizing that he was pulling her off of her ride. She clung tightly to him, uncertain of what he exactly planned on doing.

"Just hold onto me!" Aerrow called over the rushing air around them. Feeling her cling to him a bit tighter, he threw out his arms, letting his glider wings extend. With a small gust of wind, he managed to steady them both so that he had a tight hold on her, while managing to keep himself balanced and in control.

Finn and Junko came up beside them, steadying their rides. Both looked tired and flustered from the fight. The blond still had a few of his lighting arrows, one of which was loaded in the actual crossbow itself. There was a bit of sweat on the side of his face as he smiled at the two of them, letting them know he was okay.

All of Junko's missiles had been fired from the wings of his skimmer, though most seemed to have missed the targets. Behind him sat Radarr, looking relieved to see that Aerrow was alright. He hoped up and down happily as Junko gave a small nod as well, showing that the two of them were alright.

"Guys...uh. I think we have a problem." the blond stated nervously, watching as Piper clung to Aerrow for dear life. Looking up, the team stared to where he was. In the direction of where the Dark Ace had taken off in was what seemed to almost be a whole fleet of Talons. There was a large Crimson cruiser lingering off in the distance and seemed to be closing quickly upon the small and slightly battered group of Storm Hawks.

"Great," Aerrow answered, adjusting the amount of weight in his arms. Glancing over at Finn, the red head moved a bit closer, "Here. Take Piper." he instructed. Letting the girl release him, she took hold of Finn's hand as she managed to slide onto the back of his skimmer. Having her weight off of the wings gave Aerrow a bit more control over how he could move, though he was really hoping that his skimmer was somewhere still in tact.

"What do we do? We can't take on all those Talons with how we are now!" Piper told, looking back to where the others flew.

Aerrow took in a deep breath. Whatever mind games the Dark Ace was trying to play with him would have to wait until he got back on solid ground and knew that his team was safe. "We'll land on one of the Terra's below. Junko, radio Stork and have him land the Condor and conceal it. It's a great chance for him to try out his new cloaking shield. Then have him meet up with us once we radio him the coordinates. We'll lay low until they back off." He ordered. It was not in the style of the Storm Hawks to run away, but at that very moment, there was no real choice. It was either run or be clobbered by a small fleet of Cyclonians.

The group went into a dive, making there way downward through a small patch of cloud covering. The dampness from within the clouds splashed upon the teens, slicking their hair and dampening their clothing. Each one pushed their rides on, trying to get the max speed possible. For all they knew, the fleet was on their tails, ready to shoot them from the sky.

As the clouds parted, a small Terra came into view. It was heavily forested with very few clearings to make a safe landing. It was a relatively flat area, with only one large mountain near the far end of the terra. If there were a better area to choose, the group would have flown for it. But at that very instant, there were no other options.

Aerrow slowed his decent slightly, letting the others proceed down before him. His landing with the glider wings would be a bit easier over the bikes, so having them managed before him would be a better choice. Finn and Piper were the first to touch down, letting the wings close quickly, coming to a skidding halt within the wooded area. Junko and Radarr were able to land easily enough as well, though it seemed a bit rougher than Finn's, with Radarr clinging onto the Wallop for dear life as they nearly skidded into a tree.

Nodding, the sky knight began his decent. He tried to bring himself in slowly, though there seemed to be a heavier wind down near the ground than he had expected. The wings seemed to rattle more so than usual, making control almost impossible. Gripping onto the handles, he knew that he was going to down in a most unpleasant fashion. The ground was coming closer by the second and there was nothing he could do.

"_Aerrow! Run away!" _a voice called out through his mind, making his thoughts suddenly become a blur. He couldn't feel his body as he began to blank. The sound of rushing air around his head grew silent. There was a bright flash of light and a rush of colors in front of his eyes. Then he knew no more.

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**Author's Note:** Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to Read and Review!


	4. Town Of The Storm

**Author's Note**: I'm alive. I promise! Starting school and whatnot. Its all crazy times. Anyways, this chapter was really hard to write. I don't know why, but it really was a challenge. But now that its out of the way, its gonna open a tone of doors and questions. Enjoy!

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** Chapter Four**  
Town Of The Storm

"_Aerrow! Time to come in honey!" a voice called out, causing the duo to turn away from their view._

_A young woman stood at the front steps of a large house. She was a very attractive person, not much older than thirty. Her long red hair was braided, which hung over her shoulder gracefully. A simple yellow sundress could be seen in the dull lamplight of the house as she waved to him. There was a large smile on her face as she made eye contact with Aerrow. _

_Looking up once more, the boy let a sigh escape him. Coming to his feet, he dusted off his pants, trying to get rid of any of the dirt that might have been lingering. He stretched out his back and legs a bit, feeling various parts of his stiffened body crack and loosen once more. Looking down at the little creature, he met his gaze with a grin. "Come on Radarr," he said, extending out his arm. _

_Accepting the help, Radarr quickly scurried up to Aerrow's shoulder, clinging to him as he turned to move back inside. The two hurried to where the woman stood, climbing the stairs two at a time to reach the porch. They came to a halt to look up at her, a small look of disappointment hiding behind his smile. _

_The woman took notice of the look instantly, "What's the matter sweetheart?" she questioned, kneeling down so that she could be eye level with her son._

_Sighing a bit, Aerrow looked at her with a small frown, "Dad said he would be back tonight. And I haven't seen a single sign of him." He told, casting his eyes downward to his dirt covered shoes. Radarr leapt from his shoulder and to the floorboards, looking up at his friend as well. "No skimmers or the carrier. Just…nothing."_

_Aerrow sniffled a bit, trying to keep himself from tearing up. If the kids in their town made fun of him for one thing, it was being a bit of a cry baby. A lot of the older boys would torment him, making him try and defend himself by fighting back. And yet, he would always be the one at the short end of the fight. Once every week, he would come home in tears with cuts and bruises all over him from the other boys. Radarr was always a help in the fights, but even the little creature would be beaten up as well. _

"_Oh Aerrow," she muttered quietly, taking him into a tight hug. "You know that a sky knight has to uphold his duties. It's for the sake of all of Atmos." She told him softly, letting her hand run though his hair a bit. Her hug seemed to be the greatest feeling Aerrow had ever known. No matter what the mood he was in, she always knew how to make him feel better._

* * *

"Aerrow? Aerrow. Can you hear me?" 

"He's out cold. And we can't stay here."

"We need to move him or else we're all sitting ducks."

The voices were loud, ringing in his ears as if being spoken through a megaphone. He didn't understand what they were talking about. All he knew was that he in a great deal of pain. Aerrow could feel his head pulsating in a violent fashion, making him not want to open his eyes. There was a slight slap to his face, trying to get him to focus; to get him to wake up. Moaning slightly, Aerrow tried to move. Every inch of his body ached as he let his head roll a bit, forcing him to open his eyes.

For a moment, everything seemed to be in a haze. Three blurs stood towering above him, a mix of blue, yellow, and orange staring down upon him. Shaking his head slightly, Aerrow closed his eyes tightly, letting himself find his focus once more. Then, he let them re-open and look up once more.

"Hey, he's coming around," Finn's voice cut through the blurred images as sound came back to his ears.

"Aerrow. Are you alright?" he could hear Piper question. There was a small touch to the side of his face, as if trying to help his vision straighten. It was gentle and soft to him, knowing that it was indeed the girl. She let her hand move some of the hair from his eyes, trying to help him see a bit clearer. Her touch was calming, almost as if the pain he felt was beginning to subside.

Blinking a few more times, the red head could finally find his bearings. He was upon the ground, stretched out with his head resting on Piper's lap. Finn was standing looking down upon him while Radarr sat beside him, his little face wrinkled up with worry.

"What…what happened?" he asked, his voice sounding very disoriented.

Finn was the one to answer him first. He knelt down beside his friend, his crossbow poised in one of his hands. In the other, one of the flashlights from the Condor . "Dude, you got walloped from behind. Dark Ace landed an energy blast to your head before you landed." Smirking a bit, the blond tried to stay happy. "You were out cold by the time you crashed."

Blinking in confusion, Aerrow let his thoughts order themselves. He remembered the duel against the Dark Ace ending with him loosing. Piper had managed to catch him before he had fallen. Then, before her heliscooter was destroyed, the two had jumped. And then, a strange voice called for him and everything became a blank.

Sitting up slowly, the sky knight placed a hand to his brow, trying to brace in case there was any lingering dizziness within his head. Taking in a deep breath, he let himself calm down. He knew that the others were staring at him, wondering if he was alright. He shook his head out once more, letting his hand drop.

Looking up at his friends, Aerrow let a weak smile escape him. "I'll be fine," Rising to his feet slowly, the young man let his balance return to him quickly. He straightened up, trying to gain back some kind of authoritative stance. Glancing about, he took a few seconds to take in his surroundings. The small group was in the middle of a cluster of trees. The leaves were different shades of yellow, brown, orange, and red. The ground was covered in a thick layer, making the surrounding a brilliant array of colors. Hidden within the brush were the remaining skimmers, making sure that they were out of sight. "Where are we anyways?" he asked, feeling Radarr scurry up to his shoulder.

"We're not entirely sure," Piper told, coming up to her feet as well. "Junko and Stork at out scouting the area. They said they would radio in to us once they found something."

Nodding, Aerrow looked up towards the barely visible sky. He was hoping to see signs that the Cyclonians had left the area. Though, from what he could tell, the fleet was still circling around the Terra. A few skimmers flew above in the sky, though because of the trees, they were more than safe for the moment. From the looks of it, they seemed to be in a very tight spot. Tighter than usual.

And yet, letting his eyes avert down to the forest around them, Aerrow felt a strange feeling coursing through him. It could have been the blow to his head, but it was something different; something that had not crossed his thoughts for years. The place where he stood seemed somewhat familiar, though he couldn't put his finger on. He could tell that Radarr was feeling the same way. He sat upon his shoulder, glancing about franticly at the area, sniffing the air around him.

"Um…?" the familiar voice of the Merb called into the clearing. The young man glanced over his shoulder towards a small break in the trees. As Finn and Piper joined him, the two remaining members of the team appeared from the forest. Stork was out in front with Junko close behind him. The Merb did not look too thrilled about coming from the woods. Aerrow knew that if the green pilot had any choice, he wouldn't have been in the woods and back on the Condor. "You might wanna come and see this…um…ASAP. We found some crystal readings that look like an abandoned town."

"Where is it?" Finn asked, lowering his crossbow to his side.

Looking around at the small group, the Wallop motioned with his head, "A few miles north of here. We can probably hide out from the Cyclonians there." He told. Turning, he started to head back towards the woods, though seemingly very hesitant of doing so without the others to follow behind him.

But Piper crossed her arms in disapproval. "Can it wait for a few more minutes? Aerrow just woke up and needs to—"

"I'm alright Piper," Aerrow cut her off, glancing over his shoulder at her. He let his green eyes pierce her orange ones, trying to get her to not to worry. There was no time for them to take it easy and wait on him. If Stork and Junko found something that might help them out of their predicament, then there was no choice but to flee their current position. "Lead the way Stork."

Without too much hesitation, the group headed off into the surrounding area. The woods were a lot more dense then they had originally thought. Large trees and underbrush covered the forest floor, making walking somewhat more difficult. Junko used his knuckle busters to clear away some of the brush, creating a narrow path for him to walk. The sounds of wildlife could be heard echoing on the light breeze that came through every few minutes, birds and other creatures letting themselves be known. They trudged behind the Merb and Wallop, wanting to question where they were going. And yet, everyone remained silent, in case there was someone around that they didn't want to let know they were there.

Night had fully settled upon the Terra as Aerrow stopped where he was. He panted a bit, feeling exhaustion wanting to take over. For the past hour, he had allowed himself to fall behind the others, letting them take the lead. With every step he took, he began to experience a sense of Deju'vu. With every tree he passed and every breath he took in, the sweet clean air seemed to bring back faint and blurred memories. As if it was something that he hadn't thought about in years.

Radarr seemed to have the same reaction. Every so often, he would scurry back and forth from shoulder to shoulder, sniffing at the air around him. A small squeak escaped him, keeping himself close to Aerrow's head.

"You feel it too Radarr?" he asked, keeping his voice low. The little creature nodded to him, continuing to smell the cool night air around him. Aerrow kept his eyes to the sky, hoping not to see any Cyclonians soar close by. His squadron had left themselves open to attack in the middle of the woods at night. And yet, there was no real safe place at the very moment. All they could do was push forward to wherever Stork and Junko were taking them.

Piper turned to glance over her shoulder. She paused for a moment, letting her eyes focus in the low light. Aerrow stood about ten feet behind her, glazing skyward through a small break in the trees. His red hair blew slightly in the low breeze as he stared off into space, green eyes locked above.

For the few years that she had known him, Piper had noticed the inner workings of their sky knight were more complicated than normally thought. When he was in her cabin earlier, Aerrow had let a side of him slip out that was never shown. Despite the confident and enthusiastic young man he always came off being, there was a lot within him that he would never lead on to. Granted, every once in a while, she would find herself staring at him. There was something about him that seemed to make her heart race of late and her mind almost want to go a total blank. The red hair and green eyes could make any woman, sky knight or not, want to be closer than just friends with him. And now, with every passing day, she was becoming more and more fascinated with her leader.

"We're here," The Merb's voice echoed, causing the red head and strategist's attention back to the group. Stork and Junko moved aside some of the loose branches that hung in the way of their line of sight. Shining the flashlights into the opening, the squad almost seemed to let their jaws open in awe. Just as Stork had predicted, the teens were met with a small town. The road leading in was dirt, though grass was beginning to grow upon it. All of the buildings encircled a large town center where a flagpole stood. There was no light coming from the any houses or stores. Every inch of the area seemed to be devoid of all life.

"Little bit creepy," Finn muttered to the others, trying to lighten the mood.

Pushing out of the safety of the brush, the team moved out into the abandoned town. They walked slowly, shining their lights about. The quiet was almost eerie, for the group did not utter a single word to each other as they moved towards the center of the town. Piper glanced about a bit, taking in the scene. Letting her flashlight shine on one of the buildings, her brow furrowed slightly. "All of the buildings are in ruin." She muttered finally, causing the others to shine their lights upon some of the buildings as well.

Stork let himself shutter a bit at the sight, "Seems like they were attacked without warning." He told, examining some of the rubble of what was once a storefront. "Definitely Cyclonian. Though, I wouldn't want to rule out the Verganian Rhinoasurs. They tend to stampede and can flatten things for miles."

"But, how couldn't they see the Cyclonians coming?" Junko thought aloud, coming up beside Stork. "Wouldn't there have been an alarm or something?"

Piper nodded at the Wallop's words, shining her light around the square once more. "That's the really confusing part, isn't it? I don't know this area too well, so I'm not entirely sure what squadron would have it to protect." She explained, placing her hand to her chin in thought.

Aerrow kept a slow pace towards the flagpole. Radarr was still upon his shoulder, though the small creature was clinging to him tighter than usual. He let his eyes move about the ruble of the buildings, taking in the scene slowly. Within, the sky knight was screaming in anger at what the Cyclonians had sunk to doing. The thought of harming the innocent made Aerrow's blood boil to the point where he was willing to take on the whole fleet on his own.

And yet, there was something nagging within the back of his thoughts. With every breath he took in, he became more and more uneasy. The cool night breeze would rustle his hair, making him almost want to shiver. Coming to a halt before the town center, the young sky knight let his eyes close for a moment, almost trying to calm his jittering nerves.

"_Aerrow! Run Away!"_ the same voice from earlier called out to him. He could feel his entire body freeze on him. His feet became planted in their spot, though it felt as if the earth was moving under his feet. The darkness of his closed eyes suddenly became a deep shade of crimson, dripping down as if trying to drown him. Deep within the corners of his mind, he could hear something faint; a high pitch scream coming closer with every second.

Forcing his eyes opened, Aerrow let a small gasp escape him. He looked down to the ground, trying to focus his breath from causing himself to panic. There, upon the ground at the foot of the flagpole, sat a small bronze plaque. The writing emblazoned upon it was covered in a thin layer of dirt while small weeds had popped up about it, helping in showing the age of the area.

"What?" he muttered quietly, staring with a questioning gaze at the ground.

He took a knee slowly, trying to conceal the fact he had begun to tremble. He placed his flashlight to the ground, letting it roll slightly from where he knelt. Radarr leapt from his friend's shoulder, sniffing at the small spot with curiosity. Aerrow let his hand rest upon the plague and with one swift motion, brushed some of the dust away.

Finn was the first to notice that their leader had drifted from the group. The blond watched as Aerrow fell to his knees, his eyes focused on the ground. Radarr was beside him, the blue animal sniffing at something below. The red head brushed away at something on the ground, letting his hands rest upon what looked like a large rock. He could see the eyes suddenly grow wide as Radarr's ears stood up in surprise.

"Hey Aerrow! Whatcha find?" he called over, causing the rest of the team to reassemble. They moved towards where the sky knight knelt, barely moving from his shocked position.

Though he knew the others were at his side, Aerrow could not find it in himself to speak. It felt as if a fist had been thrown into his stomach, letting his breath escape him and all sense leave his very being. The flashlights the others held came upon the area before him, making a harsh truth even more unbelievable before than ever.

Kneeling beside him, Piper let her light come upon the small plaque. "Let's see," she muttered quietly:

"_On this spot on the eve of the seventeenth of March,_

_The Storm Hawks, one of the finest Squads in all Atmos,_

_Was lost to the world at the hands of Cyclonia._

_May their bravery and honor live on forever._

'_Take love and land. But they can never take the skies from us.'"_

"No way," Finn began, letting his eyes widen and jaw drop. "This place is the base of the original Storm Hawks!"

Piper's eyes lit up as if she had just received a brand new crystal. Jumping to her feet, she let herself smile broadly. "No one knew where the original Terra was for years though! Since they were taken down by the Dark Ace," Walking away from the group, she shined the light around the area once more, looking at the crumbled ruins of the town. "This must be where the Cyclonians attacked the squadron. That's why there mustn't be any records of the team chronicled for a week before their deaths. They weren't sent out in time for them to reach Atmos."

The words struck the young knight frozen in his place on the ground. As much as he couldn't believe that the feeling was real, there was no denying what was there in his mind. The familiar smell on the wind and the feeling of walking those woods before; it was the same as all those years ago. Aerrow let his fingers trace the letters of the last line of the memorial slowly. The words were something that were familiar to him, haunting him every time he would let the wings open on his bike and the breeze run through his hair. It was what his father would always tell him and the words in a song his mother would sing to him before falling asleep.

"So it must be why there are also no maps of this area either," Stork commented, moving out towards where Piper had moved. "By the looks of it, everything that had anything to do with the original Storm Hawks were destroyed in the attack."

Glancing up, he looked about the town at a glance. He could feel his heart in his throat as he scanned around, seeing the home he once knew in ruin. He knew Radarr was looking up at him, worry gracing his little features. Coming to his feet slowly, Aerrow's mind began to race as he stumbled forward a bit, moving towards some of the buildings. Blinking, he could almost see the people walking the streets and the shops alive with activity. The dirt roads were cobble once more and he could feel the joy that was once there. And within a blink once more, it had gone. Back to the ruins of a scorched and dead town his thoughts faded, making his heart sink. His squadron could be heard in the background, jabbering on about how wonderful of a find this was.

"Aerrow!" Piper's voice called through his thoughts, making him glance over his shoulder at her. She was coming up to his side quickly, a large and sparkling smile gracing her features. "This is fantastic! We can learn so much from this! Don't you think it's great?" she finished, grabbing hold of his arm.

'Was this what the Dark Ace wanted me to see?' he thought, completely ignoring Piper's hold and question. The words that the man had told him echoed in his ears, the taunting making him want to cringe. '…_maybe you just don't remember what happened that night?' _it spoke, the mocking tone making his skin crawl.

Closing his eyes, Aerrow felt a sharp pain shoot the side of his head. It was like a knife had been slammed into his skull and was being twisted slowly. He felt his stomach lurch slightly as he grabbed his head, staggering to keep himself upright. He grunted as he felt the earth shift under him, making him take a knee to the ground.

"Aerrow?" He could hear Piper's voice ask, though he didn't dare to open his eyes. A hand came to his back as he felt himself almost lurch to vomit. "Aerrow, what's wrong?"

But he could answer. The pain was too intense for him to try and force the words out. Letting himself fall forward, he felt the ground collide with his body. He continued to clutch his head, feeling as if it were about to burst opened. A flood of images came rushing to his mind, flashing before his thoughts as if someone had hit the fast forward button on a tape deck. Faces and things he could recall from when he was a kid began to show themselves in front of him. Seeing his father taking him up into a tight hug after coming home to the night he found Radarr hiding under the front porch. It was all there. His mother's smile and his father's squadron. They were all there and in one brilliant flash, grew black once more.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I promise the next chapter won't be ask weird. Don't forget to read and review!


	5. Causalities of War

**Author's Note**: Sorry for the delay. I hate school and I hate homework even more. So, here is the next chapter. Its a little bit violent, so I'm giving a fair warning here. Its nothing to bad, but I think the rating might go up in future chapters if its going to continue on how I think it is. Enough of my rambles, on with the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Five**  
Causalities Of War

_The blackness became red like before. He could hear faint screaming coming into his ears, sending a chill down his spine. An image began to burn its way into his sight as he let his fingers tighten their grip on his hair. He could see people running and screaming. The buildings all around him were burning as people were slashed down by soldiers, falling dead within the streets. A line of four people were forced to kneel before the flagpole of town, their heads lowered to the ground. Looming over them was a man, holding a large sword, glowing a familiar red that Aerrow knew all too well._

_Beside where he stood, a figure of a woman lay slathered. Her long red hair was sprawled about her blood soaked face, eyes opened in a fearful expression. Around her, the ground was stained in red, drenching her simple dress. _

'_Dark Ace…' he thought, watching as he watched the people fall, letting their homes burn._

"_Why are you doing this?!" One of the kneeling men screamed, forcing his eyes up with a glare that could have killed any man on the spot. Piercing green eyes boar into his enemy, trying to find some intimidation in what seemed like a hopeless situation._

_And yet the sword-wielding foe simply smiled and let the blade come up to the man's throat. "My loyalties are with that of the master." _

_And still the kneeling man gritted his teeth. "You made an oath. A promise! Fight and die together for the honor of the Atmos. To protect our families and each other!" _

"_I did…didn't I?" The black haired man sneered, placing his free hand to his chin. He almost seemed to be in deep thought. And yet, before the mellow gaze could linger upon his features, it faded away into a twisted grin. Glancing down at the man once more, he locked his gaze with the knight. "Times change. As do where the loyalties of people fall." Coming to a knee, the Dark Ace thrust his sword into the ground, keeping it beside the man's neck. Leaning in, he kept the grin upon his lips, watching the as red energy almost burning the man's skin, "Given the chance to have absolute power, why should I not take it?"_

_He stood frozen in fear. His fists were clenched tightly as he trembled, watching the scene unfold before him. Soft words were muttered between them as the green eyed man stared away from the Dark Ace. His eyes locked with Aerrow's, letting them widen in shock. _

"_Aerrow…" he could see him speak softly, making him remain locked in spot._

_The red-head gulped, taking a small step forward, "Dad…" he muttered in return._

_The Dark Ace looked up, letting his gaze come to him. Rising to his feet slowly, a smile escaped his lips as he stared him down. There was a small twinge in his eyes that Aerrow couldn't understand. Looking him over once, the man glanced back to his father. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of your son." He withdrew his blade swiftly from the ground and twirled it about his hand. Glance back at Aerrow, he smiled once more, "He will make an excellent Talon when he comes of age. After all, I was like a second father to him. Now, he will be like a prince. To rule over all over Atmos as the knight to the master."_

"_Over my dead body," his father growled, trying to get to his feet. "You will never have Aerrow." Throwing his weight into the Dark Ace, he managed to knock the man off his feet and into the ground. Staggering as the Talon leader fell, Aerrow watched as his father came towards him. Aerrow felt a small smile come to his lips, seeing that he was okay._

_But before he could get any further than a few feet, he stopped. The man's body went completely rigid as he straightened up. He lurched slightly, a small trail of blood coming from the corners of his lips. "For the glory of Cyclonia…my old friend." The Dark Ace's voice echoed through the night, his black hair becoming clear in the low-light from behind._

"_Dad!" Aerrow tried to move forward, but it was too late. The blade pierced through his father's chest, causing another gasp from him. The red light almost seemed a deeper shade of crimson as blood began to stain the ground. Aerrow's own scream rang out in his ears as he fell to his knees, feeling hot tears begin to pour from his eyes. He could feel rage and anger boiling up within him. All he wanted to do was run at him and kill him. Stab him, square in the chest and end the torment he brought upon the sky knight. Betrayal was something that he couldn't stand. It made his skin crawl to think how someone could turn on their comrades so easily without a second thought._

"Aerrow! Snap out of it!" He could hear Piper's voice scream through the scene playing in his mind.

_With a swift thrust and pull, the blade was withdrawn. The corpse collapsed in a heap, limbs contorted and splash of blood as the body hit the ground. Aerrow let his hands rest upon the ground in front of him as the tears poured freely. His mother was only a few feet from where his father had fallen. There was no one left for him now. It was only him and the Dark Ace._

"Please Aerrow! Wake up!" Piper's voice called again, sounding more pleading than before.

"_Now then Aerrow," the man's voice called, causing him to look up. His red blade had been powered down, now in its normal steel form. Holding its hilt in his hand, he started towards him. A smile crawled to his lips as he approached, almost seeming like the devil appearing from the flames. His armor shown brilliantly in the low-light as he came close to the young boy, halting a few feet from where he knelt. Holding out his free hand, Aerrow felt himself withdraw, "Come along. We mustn't keep Master Cyclonis waiting." _

_Aerrow shook his head. "No," he muttered, feeling himself shaking even more; in fear more than anything else. _

_He could tell that the man was not in the mood for his games. Leaning in quickly, he took hold of Aerrow's arm roughly, forcing the red head to his feet. Cringing in pain as he felt his arm twist, he was on his feet before he could even fight back. The Dark Ace moved him to stay steady as he came nose to nose with him, his breath hot on his face._

"_You have no choice," he muttered, taking hold of Aerrow's shirt. "I'm the only family you have left now."_

"_You there! Hold it!" a voice came from behind. The sounds of engines could be heard echoing, making the Dark Ace glance behind him in frustration. His grip tightened slightly on Aerrow, making a gasp escape from the boy. _

_Letting his red eyes rest back upon him, the man curled his lip. "You will never be free from what you should be, Aerrow. Remember that."_

"Aerrow," Piper's voice cut through again, sounding more desperate than anything else.

_It was in a blink of an eye. Aerrow felt his eyes widen as the Dark Ace withdrew his blade and his world sudden became black. He could feel pain shooting through his side of his head as the hold on him was released. There were sounds of skimmers and weapons fired as he fell, letting everything become a blur in his mind. Everything began to fade, submitting to the pain. All of his thoughts became scrambled, not knowing where to go and where they belonged. He drifted away, letting the pain consume him._

* * *

Aerrow's eyes flew open, letting a scream escape him. He let himself be thrown forward trying to gasp for air. There was perspiration dripping from his brow and his shirt had become drenched in the icy sweat. His stomach lurched, feeling whatever he had eaten for dinner that evening coming up in his throat. From head to toe he was trembling as he placed his hands to something soft below him, letting his fingers cling to something stable. 

A soft touch came to his shoulder, causing him to jump. Glancing to his side, he saw a familiar set of gentle orange eyes watching with great caution. Piper sat beside him, a small towel in her hands. She looked tired and yet relieved to see him staring back at her.

"Piper?" he questioned, his voice airy and weak.

Forcing a smile to come through, she let a small sigh escape her, "Thank god you're awake." she told, keeping her hold on his shoulder. Moving from her chair, she came closer to him. Bringing her hand up to his face, she let her fingers brush some of his hair from his still trembling face. "I was really worried."

Letting his eyes follow her, Aerrow got a quick glance at his surroundings. He was in his room of the Condor, sitting upon his bed. A small chair had been pulled up beside him where Piper had been sitting only moments before. She was now on his bed, moving his hair from his eyes. His weapons were posed on the dresser, waiting to be taken up at a moment's notice The door was opened slightly, letting some of the air circulate into the room.

Swallowing harshly, the red head brought a hand to his brow. He let his hand move Piper's away as he tried to focus his scrambled thoughts. The memories were there, burning within his mind. The Dark Ace's hold on him, the smell of blood in the air, and the agony of his father falling dead with his mother's body not even a few feet away from him; it was all there. Memories that were repressed from a blow to his head and things that he didn't want to remember had come back to in all in one swift rush. And for the first time in years, he felt vulnerable and alone.

"Aerrow, please say something," Piper said softly, her hand resting upon his arm.

Taking his hand away from his head, Aerrow let his green eyes meet Piper's orange. "What…What happened? How did we get back here?" he mustered out, feeling his throat become dry and sore.

Forcing a smile to her lips, Piper patted his arm softly, "You fell to the ground, clutching your head and started screaming. We tried to talk to you, but you wouldn't answer us. After about a minute, you grew completely silent. Stork lead us back to the Condor so you would be out of sight of any Cyclonians that might be around. Junko carried you and Finn took your blades and put them over there."

"Where are the others?" he quickly asked.

"Still out scouting the area. Radarr is getting me another cool towel for your head from the kitchen. And the others should be back any minute." She spoke softly, trying to calm him as much as she could. Her touch was soft and soothing to him, letting his trembling subside. "Are you feeling any better?"

For a moment, Aerrow had to think about the question. He knew that what he had seen was not a dream. It was far from it. The feelings and the pain were burned into his thoughts, making him almost feel as if he were about to break down in tears. Taking in a deep breath, he let his lungs fill up with cool air, hoping to calm his stomach and help him keep some kind of composer.

But before he could control his mouth, the words began to spill from his lips. "I couldn't do anything that night. It all happened so quickly, there was no way I could get to them." He spoke quietly, feeling his heart racing in his chest. "I could only watch as the Dark Ace killed them. Ran my father through with his sword and then came after me."

Piper leaned forward slightly, keeping her grasp on the red head's arm. She could see that it was bothering him, though he couldn't seem to keep it within. This wasn't the normal Aerrow that she had become fond of. He wasn't the happy and fearless leader and the only sky knight to defeat the Dark Ace. This was the side of him that she had never seen. It was as if every built up emotion he had ever had since the beginning of his training was coming out. She moved closer, trying to calm and yet listen to him.

"He killed my mother first," he continued, acting as if she wasn't there. "She tried to keep him from getting to me. Then, he…tortured my father. Taunting him," Aerrow's voice trailed off as he took in another deep breath. He brought his knees up to his chest, letting his head rest on them.

Bringing her hand to her face, Piper felt a twinge in her heart. She couldn't find the words to even express what he could have felt. There was no way she would know because her mother was still alive and well on Tropica. All the others had spoken of their families and where they were in the Atmos. And yet Aerrow had always ended those conversations before it could get to him.

He brought up his head up in one swift motion, letting the girl jump out of her own thoughts quickly. Aerrow looked forward with his eyes wide, almost as if something had just come to his thoughts. Pulling away from Piper's hold, he quickly slid to the end of the bed, letting his legs dangle over the edge of his unkempt bed. Letting his arms rest upon his knees once more, his shoulders slouching as his gaze was cast away to the floor.

Silence hung between the two teens for a moment. All that could be heard was the sound of Aerrow's breathing, though it was beginning to lessen in heaviness. Piper wanted to move and hold him close. She had never seen him look so pale before. Almost as if he were coming down with a bug of sorts.

"I think I need some air," Aerrow finally muttered, causing Piper to straighten up. Coming up to his feet, it took him a moment to find his center of balance. Bringing a hand up to his brow for a moment, the young knight swayed on his feet, almost as if about to fall back onto his bed.

Rising up from her spot on his bed, Piper hurried to his side. "Maybe you should lay back down. You really seem too out of it to leave the ship right now. And what if you get attacked?"

And yet, Aerrow ignored her words. Moving towards the door slowly, he kept his eyes averted from hers. Taking up the weapons in his hands, he slid them quickly into their resting places on his back. He paused for a moment as the door slid opened automatically. Taking in a deep breath, he straightened up as if trying to gain his composer. "Just promise me that you will forget everything I told you Piper," he muttered quietly, causing the girl's eyes to widen. "It's none of your concern."

And yet before he could move from the room, Piper found herself running to him. Placing her arms out, she took hold of Aerrow from behind, pulling him back to her. She clung tightly, letting her arms lock around his frame. Her hands rested upon his chest, trying desperately to keep him from moving another inch. She could feel his muscles tense to her touch, almost as if surprised to feel her so close.

"Please Aerrow. You need to rest," She whispered softly, pulling him tighter. "I…I was really scared. When you collapsed, I didn't know what to do. You tossed and turned in your sleep, and all I wanted to do was make sure you were okay."

Aerrow let himself relax at her words. He had never heard Piper speak to him in such a manner. It wasn't just the normal banter about missions or how Finn was annoying her. This was that soft voice that she had used when he had told her about his nightmare. Her hold was firm yet gentle, making him not want to move away. In a way, he just wanted to turn and embrace her in return. To let her know that she didn't have to worry. His heart was racing, from the dream or knowing she was so close he couldn't decide.

Taking in a deep breath, Aerrow moved away from her hold slowly and out into the hallway. Glancing over his shoulder, he let his green eyes gaze over the girl softly. "I'm sorry Piper. But I just need to be alone right now." Before he could hear anymore of her objections, Aerrow let his body take off at a full sprint.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to read and review.


	6. Meetings

**Author's Notes**: I live. I promise. Well...sorta. Anyways. Chapter Six is a long chapter and took forever to get done. But I hope you all enjoy it. I have a better understanding of where the story will go from here, so let's see how this goes. Enjoy everyone!

* * *

**Chapter Six**  
Meetings

He ran through the corridors of the Condor, making his way for the hanger door exit. All he needed was time to clear his thoughts of the memories that plagued and burned their way back to the surface. Deep down, the young child within him wanted to break and cry. Those memories were long gone from his thoughts for a good reason. As much as he missed his parents, he knew that the way they died was because of him. His mother tried to keep the Dark Ace from him and fell protecting him. And although he was so close to his father, the Cyclonian did not show any mercy. The image of the bright glowing blade piercing through his chest made Aerrow's stomach churn as he continued to run.

Before he could even realize it, the sky knight felt the cool night breeze of the Terra brushing his face. He didn't falter in his steps, hurrying off into the woods that were still so familiar to him. Leaping and dodging fallen logs he ran swiftly. All he could do was try to keep the thoughts from coming back. As he let the brush from around him hit his face slightly, Aerrow thought back to the girl he had left behind.

He wanted to hit himself for leaving Piper like that. She was worried and scared for him and all he could do was run away. Fear had completely overwhelmed him, letting his thoughts become disordered and confused. If he had thrown in own feelings for her into the already jumbled mix, he would have broken down in front of her. He didn't need that. He had to remind himself that sky knights were never to show weakness towards neither enemy nor teammate. The oath and codes were clear on those.

Aerrow could feel his heart racing in his chest, almost as if it were about to explode. Stumbling from the thick woods that surrounded him, the young man came tumbling into a small clearing. He fell to his knees, letting his head fall to the ground as he panted for his breath. Even though all of his extreme training for the trials had made him strong, he had never felt so weak as he did right then and there. The cool night air that filled up his lungs was almost sweet to take in.

Letting himself bring his head from the ground, Aerrow kept his deep breaths coming. He let his eyes gaze upward toward the sky slowly, letting each intake of cool air help his movement. The sky was scattered with thin clouds that moved quickly through the upper heavy winds of the Terra. A beautiful starlit sky hung above him, almost as if a million diamonds had been thrown into the heavens. There was no moon in the sky, nor any signs of the Cyclonian ships. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Aerrow was alone.

'That night,' he began to think, letting himself watch the sky above him, 'So many of my friends…my family…were killed.' The images of the village burning edged into his mind once more. His mother falling before the blade of the Dark Ace and his father's cry to save him; it was all there as clear as crystal. He could feel that there were small details that were in a fog, though he couldn't reach them.

Suddenly, as Aerrow let his eyes close, a small trickle rolled down onto his face, cooling almost instantly against his warm skin. The feeling was something that he hadn't felt in so many years. Letting his head drop slowly, he raised his hand up to his cheek, letting it brush his skin lightly.

'I'm…crying?' he thought, letting himself look down at the tears that graced his fingertips. And yet he made no move to stop himself. He sat in silence, letting himself give in to all the emotion that he had kept within for so long. Aerrow dropped his head to his chest, the silence of the woods almost trying to calm him.

"I see that it's all coming back to you Aerrow." A deep voice spoke from behind, making him shoot his head up in an instant.

* * *

"What do you mean he ran off?" Finn's voice questioned, letting his jaw drop in disbelief.

Upon their return to the Condor, Junko, Finn and Stork were surprised to see Piper and Radarr at the bridge, awaiting their return looking very distressed. They had retrieved crates of what looked like papers, maps, and books from some of the rubble of the buildings. The three placed their findings onto the meeting table to be looked over as soon as they could, wondering why the two were there and not with Aerrow.

Piper sat quietly as the others came up around the table. She watched as Radarr stood beside her, looking as if he was ready to run out the door at any moment to find his friend. He was sniffing at the air, waiting for the others to know what had happened. Sighing a bit, she looked up at Finn's words.

"He said he needed air," she said, letting the questionable glances be exchanged, "I tried to stop him, but he said that he would be okay." Piper let her eyes fall once more, now focusing on her hands folded in her lap. She watched as they clung tightly to each other, letting her mind go back to only a half hour ago. The way that Aerrow was tossing and turning in his sleep made her heart sink. He looked so vulnerable as he called for his father and mother. She tried to wake him, telling him that she was there and he was just having a nightmare.

Junko placed his hands to the table, causing Piper to look up once more, "We need to go out and find him!" he exclaimed, gaining nods from the rest of the guys and Radarr.

Nodding slightly, Finn straightened up, crossing his arms across his chest. "We grabbed our skimmers so we could haul the crates. We can easily cover more ground from the air if we use them."

"Did you forget," Stork chimed in, cowering slightly at the thought, "That there are still Cyclonians looming about in the upper part of the Terra? Flying would most likely end in," his eyes shifted back and forth at the rest of the team, "a painful and overwhelming death."

Taking in a deep breath, the girl rose from her chair. Nodding at the comments, she had gained her own opinion of the situation. At that very moment, worrying about Aerrow was not going to help her think straight. When he was gone, she was the one in charge. As much as she knew that her friend could easily handle himself, there was something amiss.

"Alright. Finn, Junko, Radarr and I will head out on the skimmers to look for Aerrow. We'll stay grounded unless we get the okay from Stork to go airborne." Moving away from the table slowly, she started for the door, not even bother to glance back at them. "Stork, I want you to stand by on the Condor for when we come back. Find a way to get us off this Terra ASAP. Find a break in the Cyclonian lines and then be ready to floor it away from here once we are back on board."

Watching Piper leave the bridge, Finn sighed slightly, "Was it just me or did she just seriously sound like our, oh so, fearless leader just then?"

Junko, Stork and Radarr could only nod slowly at the comment. Without another word, the crew broke off into their respective positions, readying themselves in the search for their friend.

* * *

The sound of armor clanging together echoed on the breeze as Aerrow felt his blood run cold. His breath became heavy as he heard every step coming closer from behind him. They were slow, as if being cautious around a wild animal that had been unfed. Tears still flowed from his eyes while his muscled tensed, trying to figure out what he could do.

"I was starting to wonder when you would remember that night," it spoke again, the footsteps coming closer with every passing moment. "I have to admit, your father would have done anything to keep you from me that night. Bold move that ended with his own stupid actions."

The words caused the red head to finally snap. Grabbing his blades from his back, he leapt up to his feet in the blink of an eye. Spinning around, he activated the weapon, letting its blue energy illuminate the area a bit more. Bringing it down quickly, he prayed to hear the voice be silenced.

The clang of metal echoed throughout the clearing. Aerrow let all of whatever energy he had left push down upon his sword, trying desperately to let his small daggers cut into anything that remotely was flesh. And yet, the energy was wasted. Before he could even attempt to get close to him, the Dark Ace withdrew his sword, blocking the blow as if it were nothing. His red eyes remained forward though a smile slowly crept to his lips.

Pushing back quickly, the older man sent Aerrow flying backwards. He turned slowly to face him as the youth landed in a heap not even a few feet from where he stood. The blue energy blades flew from his hands, turning them back to their cold steel form near the edge of the clearing. For a moment, Aerrow kept his head down, trying to hide his face from him. The sight was almost enough to make the Cyclonian want to laugh. Deactivating his blade, the Dark Ace started towards the fallen young man.

"You are just as stubborn at your father, Aerrow," he began to taunt, every single of his metal clattered steps coming closer. He watched as green, tear filled eyes stared up to him like daggers attempting to pierce through. Yet, the glare did not faze him in the least bit. A smile slipped from his lips as he came up to where Aerrow was sprawled upon the dusty earth. "You never know when to accept the truth when it's right in front of you."

Aerrow's lips snarled at the remark, "My father was a great man. He would have given his life to protect any member of his squadron from danger. You included." The tears were coming quicker now as the rage and frustration began to well up within him. "The Storm Hawks always look out for each other. Never number one."

The Dark Ace chuckled a bit at Aerrow's words, causing the young man to slip into a shocked state. "He was blind to the truth of what was before him. You were the key to it all and he chose to ignore it." Taking a knee so that he would become eye level with the sky knight, the raven haired man grabbed hold of the young man's face forcefully, letting red meet green while the smile spread even more so. "I did what I had to do. It was foreseen that things were ready to change. And I went where I knew I could find power. I came back to find the last piece."

"Piece of what?" Aerrow growled, tossing his head roughly. He tried to lessen the man's grip upon his face, though it became much tighter as he struggled. "What the hell do you want that's so important?"

"You my dear boy," he spoke in no more than a whisper, removing his hold from the red head. "The key to controlling the whole Atmos is in your blood."

Aerrow could feel himself shaking as he let his eyes stare into those of the older knight. There were so many things he wanted to say at that moment. The urge to actually dive for his blade was there within him, yet all of his energy seemed to have left his being. As much as he wanted to fight back, there was no strength to do so.

"So…you destroyed everything. My family, my home, my whole life…Every last bit of what was the Storm Hawks were," Aerrow spoke softly, knowing that no matter what he would say, the Dark Ace would only continue his devilish grin. "…because of me?"

Dark Ace brought a hand to Aerrow's shoulder, causing green eyes to meet his once more. They were narrowed with rage at the thought of touching him at all. And yet, the grasp held. "You were meant to serve Master Cyclonis, Aerrow. It has been foreseen and will come true no matter what you may want." Releasing him, the Dark Ace reached to his side pouch, withdrawing a small crystal.

Aerrow felt his eyes widen at the stone within the man's hold. It was one of the strangest crystals he had ever seen. Smaller than average, the center seemed to be erupting with bolts of lighting, as if a violent storm was awaiting to burst forth from within. The man held it between his fingers, examining it carefully. "This is a special gift from Master Cyclonis herself. Even if you don't want to join her Aerrow, you will have no choice in the matter once you feel the wrath of this very interesting crystal."

It was as if a shot of adrenalin pulsed through his frozen limps, jolting him to his feet once more. Aerrow staggered across the clearing, nearly tumbling over his own two feet to try and grab hold of his weapons. The cool metal handles came into his grasp, letting his courage come back to him. The man was good at playing mind games. There was no doubt about that. And he wouldn't let the Cyclonian's twist of haunting words plague him any longer. The Dark Ace withdrew his blade once more, but Aerrow would not give him the chance to place that crystal into the weapon.

Thrusting his weapons outward, he let a flash of blue energy fire at the man. Aerrow watched as the knight began to sidestep out of the way, leaving a weak spot for the young man to strike at. The Storm Hawk kept low to the ground, placing his weapons into a striking position. Before the Dark Ace could even regain some kind of clear thought, Aerrow struck with all the force he could. The blades cut something soft; the sound of a scream of pain echoed across the night.

The older man stumbled back, his free hand clutching his side tightly. His sword was discarded upon the ground, the stone still clutched tightly within his other hand. Letting his head fall, he began to pant loudly as blood began to stain his shirt slowly, coming through to his fingers.

Aerrow let himself withdraw, deactivating the weapons in his hands. As their blue glow faded into the darkness of the surrounding woods, he almost felt a twinge of shock. Knowing that he had the anger and rage built up within him to create such an undying hate for this man was almost more frightening than the ideas of what the Cyclonis had in mind for him. Straightening himself up, Aerrow placed the blades back upon his shoulders, knowing that he had gained the upper hand once more over the man.

"Whatever your Master wants with me, you can just forget it." The red head growled, letting his eyes narrow.

And yet, a low chuckle came from the wounded man, causing Aerrow's guard to lessen. "You will never fail to amaze me with your arrogance." Slowly, he glanced up, letting his red eyes glare threw strands of messed black hair. "…just… like… your… father." With one thrust upwards, the Dark Ace threw his hand up and it collided with Aerrow's chest.

Time seemed to stand still as a blinding flash of light came from the stone pressed against the shirt of the young man. Aerrow felt a raw burning sensation rush through his entire body, forcing a gasp to escape his lips. He tried to move his hands to push away the man, but he couldn't seem to raise them any higher than his waist. In his chest, he could feel something sharp and jagged crawling under his skin. With every second that past, the pain intensified, though he clenched his teeth to keep himself from screaming out in agony. Forcing his gaze downward, he could see the Dark Ace smiling as he threw more into his outstretched arm, forcing Aerrow backwards to the ground.

The light vanished in an instant causing the two to break in contact. The young sky knight found himself upon the dirt, leaving the Dark Ace once again on the high ground. Though still bleeding freely, he let his smile continue on as he watched Aerrow clutch his chest in pain. Pieces of the young man's shirt had been burned away around where the stone had made contact, though there was not a single scorch mark upon his flesh. The young man couldn't even bring himself to try and make eye contact with him, for he seemed to be in a state of shock.

Turning away from him, the Dark Ace slowly began to move away from the Storm Hawk, trying to keep himself looking intimidating. "It will all fall into place Aerrow." The sounds of his armor echoed off into the night as he moved to gather his sword. Placing the blade to his back once more, he glanced back to the young man upon the ground, his eyes still wide with shock. "You were like my son then," He spoke quietly, looking down at his empty hand with a grin, "and you will be again."

* * *

Aerrow couldn't really recall what happened after those haunting words hit his ears. He remembered Piper and the others coming into the clearing, asking him if he was alright. Radarr was with them as well, whimpering for him to speak to him. Even though they questioned him, the leader could not find the words to tell them what happened. Physically, he felt alright. If anything, the attack that the Dark Ace had performed had made him a little sore and stunned. But as he quietly climbed on the back of Finn's bike, he could feel his thoughts had become nothing but jumbled. There was nothing that could be said or done for him to feel better. There were too many gears that had been set to turn in his thoughts and there was no way to stop them.

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**Author's Note:** Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to Read and Review.


	7. Growing Attraction

**Author's Note:** Hiya everyone! Thank you so much for all the great comments. It really makes me happy to know that other's like this story as well. This chapter is a favorite of mine. Just because its a bit of AerrowxPiper fluff.

Enjoy everyone!

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**Chapter Seven**  
Growing Attraction

The flight from the Storm Hawks terra was one that could be written in the record books. Before the hanger could even be closed after the last of the team had entered, Stork floored the Condor into the air. They managed the careen through a small gap in the cruiser's paths, soaring into the night of Atmos. The clouds that had hung overhead had served as a brilliant cover for them to escape back into safer skies. The Condor blazed through the night, location and idea of destination unknown to the crew.

Piper stood over the meeting table of the Condor with a perplexed look gracing her features. Maps and charts where scattered about the table haphazardly as she read up on some of her notes, trying to make sense of their current location. Although considered brilliant by some, it was these moments that she questioned being called such. They were well away from the Cyclonian fleet, giving the team a well-deserved rest for once and a while.

Sighing slightly at the work before her, she shoved the maps away. There was nothing more frustrating than not having a clue of what to do next, though it didn't seem to bother any of the others. Stork was piloting the ship while keeping a look out for any issues or abnormalities. Finn and Junko were down in the shop trying to put the skimmers back together after the last battle. They were all so relaxed and laid back; it was almost annoying for the girl to watch.

She moved away from the table, heading over towards the windows of the bridge. Letting her arms cross in front of her, she looked out to the view. The late night sky was a pale navy blue without a single cloud to ruin its purity. She let a yawn escape her at the sight of it being so calm. Glancing down towards the deck, Piper let her eyes widen slightly in surprise.

Aerrow was out in the middle of the landing strip, posed with his blades in hand. He stood still, taking in a deep breath as he slowly prepared his feet, shifting his weight back and forth slightly. His red hair blew gently in the breeze as green eyes were narrowed and almost dangerous looking. Moving his head slightly to the side, he glanced over his shoulder as if there was something lingering behind him.

* * *

Since they had found him in the middle of the woods, Aerrow had kept to himself. He had locked himself within his bunk, refusing any type of medical treatment and claiming he was alright. What surprised them all the most was that he had locked out Radarr as well, making the small creature even more worried than before. Sadly for him, his entire team knew that he was lying to them. The sky knight had never been good at lying.

Though the guys could only mutter that it was exhaustion from the whole battle and journey, though Stork insisted on a strange some kind of parasitic worm within the spleen, Piper could see past the events they knew. Something had shaken him to the point where he wasn't able to speak. When they had found him, Aerrow seemed a lot paler than normal and there had been a large rip in his uniform. He almost seemed to be in shock, though he could move on his own and find his way back to his room. And now that he was out on the deck of the ship, she knew what he would be up to in an instant.

* * *

Piper felt a smile creep to the edge of her lips as she watched her sky knight leap up into a back flip and land in a perfect crouched position. He swung his blades about quickly, dodging and parrying the air around him. Jumping and flipping he went about the deck, looking about with narrowed eyes as if taking on twenty Cyclonians at once. Aerrow was always intense when he trained. It always amazed her to watch him move, as if his weapons had become an extension of his body.

Watching him come to a halt, she let her smile fade into curiosity. Aerrow stood still below, his breath heavy as he looked about the empty deck once more. He tossed his hair from his face as a stern expression kept upon his face. Placing his daggers to the ground, Piper leaned in closer to the glass. Aerrow wiped his brow with his sleeve, trying to cool himself down. Then, the sky knight took hold of his shirt and in one swift motion, removed it from his person.

Turning away from the window quickly, Piper felt her face fluster. She knew that she had seen Aerrow without his shirt on so many times before. Trips to Tropica and whatnot; it wasn't as if it was something completely out of the ordinary. After all, she was the only girl on a ship of guys, it would only common sense that it wouldn't be a big deal to see any of them without their shirts on. And yet, deep down, the crystal expert could feel her heart starting to race. There were always moments of tension when it came to being around her knight. He worried about her and she did the same for him. Every time she would feel his hand on her shoulder, she couldn't help but want to smile.

Before Piper could even realize it, she was starting to move away from the windows. She still could feel her face burning as she placed a hand to her cheek, trying to calm her racing heart. Aerrow was her sky knight. That was all there was to it. Best friends for years, she couldn't really expect there to be anything more. He was so focused on bringing down Cyclonia, there was no way that a relationship could happen. The thoughts of what the others would think if something did happen was almost unbearable. Finn would never let them live it down, even though Junko would probably think it was cute. Stork would avoid them like the plague, most likely thinking that a crush was some kind of rare diseases. Shaking her head out slightly, Piper took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Thoughts like that could only cause trouble for her down the road.

Glancing over her shoulder to the window, she bit her lip slightly. Despite everything that she could think about him, she was still worried about her friend. With that thought in mind, Piper started for the door, her pace becoming quickened. If there was anyone that could maybe get him to open up, she knew she had the best chance.

* * *

Sitting down upon the deck, Aerrow let himself pant after his invisible sparring match. The crisp night air was something that seemed almost refreshing after being held up in his room for so long. His body was covered in a thin layer of sweat from the workout as his chest heaved in and out. Small strands of his hair caught onto his face, forcing him to brush them away every so often. Bringing his knees into an upright position, the red head crossed his arms atop them, letting his head rest lightly against them.

Though it had only been a few hours, he couldn't help but feel as if it had been a few mere moments ago. The images of the Dark Ace crept back into his thoughts as if he were a demon haunting his dreams. His smile made him furious yet the words lulled him into fear. In his heart of hearts, he knew that the man did not lie to him. All of the memories were there within his head, though they almost seemed blurred and incredibly out of focus. But they were there and that part is what hurt the most.

Resting more weight upon his arms, the red head closed his eyes slightly, sinking into deeper thought. The others didn't know about this. He knew that there was no way that they could. From what he could remember, Finn's father and his squadron had been the ones to come into the town after he had been knocked unconscious by the Dark Ace. When he had come to, he was on Atmosia in a hospital bed. He couldn't recall much except that his name was Aerrow and that he was the son of a sky knight. But other than that, most of it was nothing but a blank.

Aerrow pulled one of his hands free from under his head, putting it upon his chest gently. The place where the Dark Ace had unleashed his attack hadn't bothered him at all since he had been actually touched by whatever he hit him with. There were no burns or scratches upon his body, which was just strange to him. It was as if he had just punched incredibly hard and the wind was knocked out of him. There was a sense of shock that ran through his veins that was hard to shake, yet he knew that it was justified. The man that he fought so hard to bring down and was the reason that he hated Cyclonia even more, was who used to be like a father to him. Thoughts of that image were slowly fading back into focus, twisting the mental knife even harder.

"Aerrow?" a faint voice called from behind, making him straighten up swiftly in his spot. Glancing over his shoulder, the red head was met with a sight that made him want to blush. Piper stood at the door of the hanger, her hands folded gently in front of her. The light seemed to create a soft glow around her, making her look more stunning than normal. Her blue hair hung slightly in her face as the breeze blew softly. Orange eyes were full of concern as she started forward slowly, almost as if approaching a small scared child. It was the one thing that at that moment, the sky knight did not wanted to be treated as.

Looking back out to the night sky, Aerrow sighed slightly. "Hey. What are you doing out here?" he asked quietly, letting her approach him without any thought of running away. "It's a bit colder out than it was on the Terra. Can't afford you to get sick."

"Says the guy without the shirt on," Piper chuckled as she came up to his side. Sitting beside him, she took up the same stance as he held; arms crossed atop of bent knees.

For a few moments they sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the Condor's engine echoing throughout the sky. It wasn't really an awkward quiet but more of waiting for someone to speak. Aerrow could tell she wanted to talk about what had happened to him, though at this point he wasn't really willing to fight against the thought of the conversation. But just by how she sat next to him, the tension that she had come with, he knew exactly what she wanted.

"How are you—" she began, but Aerrow held up a hand to silence her.

"Please don't ask," he told her flatly, letting his hand fall back to its spot on his knees. Keeping his eyes focused outward, he let his eyes lower to the point where they were almost closed. "There was just a lot that happened and," he let his voice trail off into the cool breeze.

Piper raised an eyebrow at his words. Though she knew he didn't want to finish that sentence, she leaned forward slightly, trying to get a look into those green eyes. "…and what Aerrow?" she questioned softly.

Shaking his head, the sky knight opened his eyes more so, letting his meet those of the crystal expert. Seeing the way that she was looking at him, he wanted to let every single wall down and let her know the truth. He would have done anything to trust her like that, but this was something that he was not ready to admit to his squad. He himself didn't understand everything that the Dark Ace meant in his cryptic words, so he would doubt that the others would understand either. Aerrow knew that they didn't know about his family and he would rather keep it that way to avoid anymore sympathy from the others. It was as if he lost all his authority if they were to pity him.

"It's nothing to worry about Piper. Please, can we just drop it for now?" he questioned softly, almost to the point that she couldn't hear him.

To his surprise, Piper let a small nod escape her. "I'll do whatever you need me to do Aerrow." She spoke softly, letting herself relax the tension between them. "But you know that I worry about you."

Glancing over to her, Aerrow couldn't help but let his eyes scan up and down for a moment. In the late evening light, she seemed even more attractive than normal. The light from the hanger reflected in her hair, adding orange highlights to match her rare eyes. She looked liked she was cold, though enjoying the breeze as it kissed her face. No matter what, he could never fully understand her. Piper was brilliant and beautiful; any squadron could have had her. And yet, she stayed by his side no matter what.

"I know you worry and I'm sorry," he told, not removing his eyes from her. "But I just have a lot on my mind." He stood slowly, as if just trying to stretch out his back, though it was more of an attempt to hide his slightly reddening face.

Nodding a bit, Piper kept her gaze forward. "I know. I just wish you would let us in on what is going on up in that head of yours." She said, her voice sounding flat with a hint of annoyance. "I mean, you scared us Aerrow. Passing out and then taking off after you came to. And you didn't even let me talk to you after you woke up screaming." She paused, finally letting her eyes look up towards him. "…I was worried."

The words struck him in the chest. In all of the years he had known Piper, she had never spoken like that to him. It was a soft and smooth tone, almost like a gentle breeze. She almost seemed to sparkle in the low light, making his heart twist to the point where he was in pain. Bringing his hand up to his chest, Aerrow rubbed slowly, trying to bring his heart rate down a bit.

"You okay?" Piper's voice asked, causing Aerrow to look back to her. She was now on her feet, her arms crossed across her chest. She had that normal questioning eyebrow raised, as if waiting for him to say it was nothing.

Smiling weakly, the red head moved to quickly pull his shirt back on. "Just finally feeling that cold, that's all." It was a valid excuse, though the pain was something more than just his thoughts catching up with him. His chest almost seemed to burn in the spot where the Dark Ace had hit him. It wasn't too painful, but it made him bite at his lip. Almost odd in a sense, there was a rush of sensation that for a moment that made the deck of the Condor sway under his feet.

"Aerrow?" Piper spoke quickly, watching him staggered slightly in his stance. "What's wrong?" There was a rush of panic in her voice as the crossed arms faded and worry replaced her skeptic stare.

Shaking his head quickly, Aerrow rubbed his eyes as he tried to brush his hair from his eyes. "Guess the whole thing caught up to me at once." He muttered, letting his hand drop to his side from his face. "Just feeling a little tired."

Piper gave a soft smile to her knight, coming up beside him. Letting her hand come softly to his shoulder, she let their eyes meet for one last moment. "You haven't had a decent meal in a while. We should get some food in you before you go get some sleep."

Rolling his eyes slightly at her motherly words, Aerrow shrugged off her hand. "I'll be okay." He spoke, moving away from her towards the open hanger doors. He faltered in his steps, though quickly could recover himself before drawing anymore attention from the crystal expert. "Come on," he spoke quickly, turned on his heels to face her once more. Despite the feeling of pain within him, he let s a smile come to his lips. "The others are probably wondering where we went."

Nodding at his words, Piper started towards him. "Knowing our luck, Junko probably already ate our dinners." She chuckled lightly coming up to Aerrow's side.

"Not unless Finn got there first," the red head added on as they started inside, letting a cool breeze brush past them. Both teens let a chill down their spines as Aerrow moved to door, trying to keep the thoughts of the evening where they should be; outside and left in the dark.

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**Author's Notes:** Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to read and review!

Happy Halloween everyone!

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	8. Attack of the Heart

**Author's Note:** Sorry this took so long everyone. I have been swamped with club work, school work, and convention things. So, here we are. Chapter 8 is up and I hope you all enjoy it.

**Chapter Eight**  
Attack of the Heart

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Moving into a small hallway off to the side of the hanger, the duo took off through the slightly narrowed halls, turning and twisting past different doors. Some lead to the living quarters, while another went to the galley and washrooms. And yet, he continued to walk down the same hallway until he reached a set of old stairs. Skipping two at a time, Aerrow and Piper made their way towards a door that sat at the end of the hall. As they approached, it jumped opened, just in time to have a pipe be thrown at them.

"You're really overreacting here Junko!" Finn's desperate voice called out from the room as they dodged the projectile. "I mean…"

"You took my knucklebusters!" Junko's voice roared. "Those are mine!"

Stepping into the room, Aerrow looked about. Stork had taken some kind of shelter near the steering of the ship. The green Merb was clinging to his controls, those his eyes were darting about the room franticly, as if something were about to explode. Junko was standing next to the large briefing table, his entire body shaking with anger. His eyes were narrowed words the corner where most of the empty crystal crates where held. In his hand, there was another piece of pipe, posed and ready to be thrown once more.

"Um…what's going on in here?" Aerrow questioned cautiously, moving slowly into the room. "Junko?"

Suddenly, Finn's head appeared from behind the boxes. His normal sheepish grin was upon his face as he let his eyes dart between Piper and the red head. "Oh man. Dude, he's just a little upset."

But Junko let another projectile fly, nearly missing the blond by a second. It clattered to the ground behind the crates, making him more irritated. "You TOOK them without telling me! What if we're attacked by the Cyclonians? That's my weapon you where using as a PAPERWEIGHT!"

"In my defense here, I was saving all of us from one of Piper's rants about keeping the maps organized." Finn spoke again, sheepishly glancing up at the Wallop.

Sighing a bit, Aerrow moved forward into the room, placing himself between his two bickering squad mates. He was ready to deal with Piper as well, but the girl kept herself in control at Finn's comment, though her hands balled up into fists at what he was stating. Bringing his hands up, he held them out, causing the two to fall silent. "Enough already guys. We don't need you two fighting while we're trying to get to our destination." He spoke firmly, though trying to sound as friendly possible. They were his squad, but they were also his friends. He didn't want to have them turn on him as well.

Crossing her arms, Junko curled his lip, "All I want is an apology." He spoke flatly, letting his eyes gaze back to the crates.

Nodding, Aerrow let his eyes fall to the other side of the room, "Finn? Is that fine?" he questioned, knowing that half the battle was over already.

Rising from behind his safe haven of crates, the blond ran his hand through hair, almost looking as if it were a sigh of relief. "Okay. I'm sorry Junko. Once we'll land, I'll polish your skimmer for a week if you want." He stated flatly as if the words were painful to say.

A smile came to Aerrow's lips as he watched the fight end quickly. They normally ended swiftly, knowing that something bigger would come along and that any petty thing like a scuffle would surely be forgotten. One big and slightly dysfunctional family was what they were most like. And the red head wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Stepping up towards the controls, the young sky knight looked out the large windows. "What's our status Stork?" he inquired, looking to his left.

The Merb cling to his steering tightly as his eyes darted about slightly. "We're heading back towards Atmosia," He told, letting his death grip lesson on the steering wheel. Glancing to his side a bit, Stork looked his leader up and down quickly.

Letting his faint smile fade, he pressed his lips together into a firm line. As Piper moved to join Stork at the steering, Aerrow let his eyes narrow at the thought. His chest was still burning dully as he came up to the bar in front of the meeting table. Letting his hands grasp onto the cool metal, he let his grip tighten harshly. He would have to drop the thoughts at some point, knowing that past ties would only hurt him in the overall fight. The Dark Ace would not win with his mind games. Not anymore. But despite the urge to loose those thoughts, the pain would not vanish.

"They have the best supply shops in the quadrant," he lied through his teeth, knowing that if he looked any of them in the eye, it would give him away. "We're gonna need a full re-supply of the best things we can get before heading out. Besides, we need to give over the documents we found to the Sky Knight Counsel."

Crossing over to the table, Finn stared at the crates with curiosity. Four large boxes had been stacked up from where Junko and the others had placed them earlier. They were simple wooden boxes with the seal of the Storm Hawks on the sides. The paint had faded from the years of being left outside and some damage from fire as well. The blond studied them each carefully as the rest of the team slowly joined him around the table.

Smirking a bit with curiosity burning in his eyes, Finn let one of his fingers run along the top of one of the boxes. "Shouldn't we look inside? Just to make sure that everything is okay for the counsel to look through?" he questioned, eyeing the red-head who joined him in silence.

"For once Finn, you have a good idea," Piper mocked, letting a playful gleam come into her eyes. Watching the sharpshooter pout at the comment, she quickly looked back to her knight. "We could learn some things from these documents Aerrow. Things about the actual Storm Hawks and their techniques. Who knows, they might have some more information about the Condor as well."

With those words being uttered, Stork was beside the table within moments. "I agree. Let's look." He muttered, eyeing the boxes with curiosity as well.

Sighing slightly, Aerrow knew that his teammates were making valid points. There could be so much information within the crates that sat before him that he too was becoming curious. Things that he had once known that was now nothing but a blur within his head could become clear if he looked inside. Just the thought made the pain his chest surge slightly, causing his hand to reach up once more.

Aerrow could feel his hands shaking slightly, his palms growing sweaty. Though he wanted to blame it on the urge to know the information within the crates, he knew that it wasn't at all the case. The pain was spreading within his body, making his head feel detached from his shoulders. Thoughts were passing through his mind at a mile a minute, making it seem as if everything was a blur.

'_You know you are curious Aerrow,'_ a low voice called from the corners of his swirling thoughts. Its cool tone sent a chill down the redhead's spine, forcing him to stand straight up. His stomach turned, knowing that he must be starting to loose his mind._'Everything you want to remember is there. Your father, your mother…me; It's all there. All you have to do is…'_

"Open them," he ordered in a flat voice, forcing himself to ignore the pain.

Finn was three steps ahead of him, throwing back the lid to the first box. A small cloud of dust flew up from the motion of the lid being removed, causing the group to withdraw. Minor coughs were exchanged as they leaned back in, hoping to see something of interest within the swirling cloud. Aerrow let his eyes narrow as he was able to look within the box. Stacks of small papers and photographs were scattered about within, as if there was once some form of organized system for them. A few of the documents were damaged beyond repair, for it looked as if the elements had gotten to them before the squadron could.

Reaching within without a single hesitation, Piper quickly withdrew a small pile of photos. Burned and torn images almost seemed to crumble in the girl's hands, trying to escape back into the depths of the box. Black ash covered her fingertips as she held to some still full pictures, trying to catch a glimpse at what was captured in the pictures.

"Most of the photos are torched," she muttered, a twinge of disappointment in her voice. She, like the rest of the squadron, wanted a chance to see what their predecessors looked like. They had been told numerous times that they had been greatly admired individuals in Atmos, for they were the only team that Master Cyclonis feared. Now, this was the once chance they had to see into the lives of those who they strived to be like.

Radarr leapt from Aerrow's shoulder, diving headfirst into the box upon the table. As the other Storm Hawks watched with curiosity growing, the small animal rummaged through the papers, trying to sniff out something that was unknown to the rest. Popping his head out within a minute, Radarr let some dirt and dust fly from his fur. In his mouth, there was a small stack of mostly undamaged photographs, looking as if they had barely escaped burning. They looked as if they hadn't seen the light of day in years, for a small layer of dust had been coated upon them. The little creature looked up to Aerrow, as if telling him to remove the photos from his mouth.

"Awesome find Radarr!" Finn exclaimed, grabbing the pictures before the knight could even raise his hand. "Let's see what we got here."

The group pushed together to get a glance at the pictures. The first image was that of what appeared to be a festival. A large bonfire was in the center of the square as people were frozen in time, dancing in an elegant fashion. Everyone was smiling and clapping within the town, as if they had no clue of the tragedy that would soon settle upon them.

Piper beamed at the image. "It looks like fun." She said, taking the photo into her hands gently. "This must be a celebration of a victory. Or maybe after the knighting of their sky knight."

"Seems to me that the old Storm Hawks really knew how to party!" Junko laughed as he glanced over Piper's shoulder.

Aerrow glanced at the image with a growing concentration. He could feel Radarr scurry back upon his shoulder, trying to see what everyone was looking at. _'See there?_' the Dark Ace's voice echoed through his already troubled mind, making his shoulders tense. '_This was the night you were born. The whole town showed up to congratulate your parents on the heir to the Storm Hawk name.'_

"The…heir?" Aerrow muttered quietly under his breath, trying to make sense of the words being spoken.

"You say something Aerrow?" Finn's voice called through the haze that began to fill up the young man's mind.

But the knight couldn't find his voice. He looked at the image with a focus that he only could have had in battle. He could almost feel the heat of the flames against his face while the cool night breeze rushed about him. A shiver rushed up his spine, making his body cringe and twitch. Aerrow felt the room spin around him, causing him to grab hold of his head.

Piper noticed her knight's sudden lack of balance. "Aerrow?"

"I'm okay. Just felt dizzy for a moment," the red head muttered quietly, not breaking his stare from the image.

And yet, he could hear the sound of a soft laugh echoing through his mind. It was not the same deep chuckle of the Dark Ace that he had sadly become used to hear ringing about in his head. It was a sweet and almost gentle sounding. A voice that was very familiar to him, yet could not be who he thought. It grew louder, causing another chill to rush down through his spine.

'_Poor little sky knight,'_ the voice called as if nothing more than a light breeze in Aerrow's ear. _'You want to remember, but your memories will not allow it.'_ He could feel his throat grow dry as his skin became cold with more chills crawling all over. _'Let me guide you to the truth and find your true self. Give over your self to your dreams…and know your foreseen path.'_

'_What?'_ Aerrow thought, letting his vision finally blur. Knees became weak as he felt his heart began to burn even more intense than ever before._'I don't…'_ The room was beginning to spin, _'who…are…'_ Everything began to fade into darkness, _'…you?'_

It was almost as if it happened in slow motion. Before anyone could react, Aerrow was on the ground, gasping for his breath. His body was in an unsettling heap, forcing him to lay atop one of his arms. Sweat formed along the top of his brow as his body became captive to small waves of shivers.

Piper dropped to his side as soon as she saw him fall, letting the photos scatter to the floor. Placing her hands to his back, she took hold of the red head, trying desperately to keep him calm. "Aerrow? What's wrong?" she questioned, trying to keep her composer as she watched the young man try to find some kind of deep breath.

The sharpshooter was around the table and down on the ground in an instant. He had never seen anything like it with his best friend before. Almost always, Aerrow was the one who was always together and wouldn't let himself fall apart. At that very moment, that image was completely forgotten as he lay there in pain. Ever since he had met Aerrow all those years ago, he knew that he was stronger than this.

Finn shook his head, "Dude, he's freaking out. What's wrong?"

Glancing about quickly, Stork quickly analyzed the situation. "Out in the open. Our sky knight is loosing his mind and there is a Cyclonian fleet most likely on our tail." Twitching slightly, he looked to see the others staring at him with wide eyes. "Oh yeah. We're doomed."

Radarr came up beside Piper, the small creature's ears low with worry. He nudged at Aerrow's hand softly, not wanting to move him too much. Piper could see it in the co-pilot's little face that she needed to act quickly. Nodding, she looked back to the group, knowing that she had to take charge. "Junko, you take Aerrow. Take him to his room and make sure he is comfortable. Finn, get some cool water for his head. Stork, send out a locked distress signal to any local squadrons, see if we can get some help. Then, go through your medicine and see if you can find something for his symptoms."

As the Wallop moved to grab hold of the coughing sky knight, Finn got to his feet. Crossing his arms while seeing Junko get punched in the face by the red head, he placed a hand to his chin in thought. It was a rare sight to see the blond in such deep thought as they started to head up towards the abandoned house. But he let himself watch as they headed up the path towards the house.

"I can't put my finger on it," he muttered quietly as he saw Piper come into his line of sight. "But I have the sinking feeling that there is something more here."

Raising an eye at the blond, Piper let her head shake. "Finn, let's just worry about getting Aerrow back to normal. We can worry about your strange feelings later. Right now, get the water for him."

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**Author's Notes:** Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Once again. Sorry it took so long. Don't forget to read and review.

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	9. Succumbing To Weakness

**Author's Notes:** Hey everyone. Thank you so much for the amazing comments and PMs. I really appreciate the feedback and I'm really happy that everyone is enjoying this story. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It was kinda weird writing this chapter. Don't know why, but here it is. Enjoy!

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**Chapter Nine**  
Succumbing To Weakness

"Will he be okay?"

"He seems a little feverish."

"Good thing we got him to his room. He's out cold."

The voices were swimming in Aerrow's ears, making him groan in pain. Each sound was like a dagger to his brain and eardrums. There was nothing but darkness around him, but the words were as clear as crystal. It was Piper, Finn, and Junko. He could tell by the tone in the voices. But they seemed distant and continued to fade away like he was falling deeper into the void. He couldn't move his body. It was like every inch of him was too sore and if he tried to even lift a finger, it would just prove to injure him more. All he wanted to do was lay there in silence, letting the darkness take him.

'_Why will you not return me_?'

This voice was unfamiliar to him. It was deep and sultry, that of a woman who probably had the looks to match. It was much closer than those shouts of his friends. Almost as if she were right behind him.

'_Who…who's there?_' he called out into the vast nothingness about him. He still couldn't move, leaving him defenseless against whatever was out there.

A pair of arms slowly made their way about his waist, making his gasp in surprise. Casting his eyes downward, he could see pale thin fingers slowly moving their way around his torso and up to his shoulder. Long cat-like claws were sharpened and curved above his body as they moved slowly about. Their arms were covered by what looked like a purple bodysuit, traces of a cape draping about them.

'_Your will is weak_,' the voice continued on as their grip began to tighten upon his being. Aerrow felt a hot breath on the back of his neck as one of the hands took hold of him, tilting his head back slightly. The feeling of the woman's claws slightly digging into his skin made him want to squirm away. And yet his body protested. Her hold upon him was unnaturally strong for someone of a thin stature. '_As is your heart_.'

One of the long claw-like nails found Aerrow's cheek. Slowly, he felt the blade-like nail run down the side of his face, causing him to cringe in pain. '_Who…who the hell…are you_?' he found himself panting, trying to suppress the twinge. '_What do you want from me?_'

Within a blink of an eye, the sky knight felt the familiar breath next to his head. Her voice muttered quietly, almost seductively into his ear. '_You think you're free, but you are nothing more than a slave_. _A mere doll for me to use._'

Suddenly, Aerrow was thrown forward, away from the mysterious voice. He felt his body begin to fall downward, as if spiraling deeper and deeper into the void. He wanted to call out to the others, but he couldn't find his voice. All he could do was keep falling…into the darkness.

* * *

Opening his eyes slightly, Aerrow had to blink to try and focus his vision. He was on his back; that much he knew. There were no more whispers in his ears and no more clinging woman to his being. Instead, there was nothing but pure and blissful silence. There was something soft under his head as his eyes finally decided to come into focus. Continuing his stare upward, Aerrow let his eyes close halfway to the sight that was almost too familiar.Rolling his head off to the side, the red head kept his eyes mostly shut as he glanced about his room. There was a faint light from his door, meaning that it was left slightly opened. The curtains had been drawn shut, the old fabrics trying desperately to keep out bright beams of sun. His weapons and holster was thrown over the back of his desk chair haphazardly, while his armor had been deposited upon the floor. 

Aerrow closed his eyes to take in a deep breath. He remembered watching the others become excited over the photos of the old Storm Hawks. He was trying to collect his thoughts on the photos when the Dark Ace's voice came into his mind, causing him to pass out in pain. Then the dream he had; it was a horrible nightmare. The woman's voice still wanted to haunt his thoughts, though he persisted against the lush voice repeating again. Shaking the thought of the woman away, he slowly moved to sit up slowly. His head only buzzed with a minor pain and chest throbbed, but there were no other discomforts to his body. Rolling his shoulders slightly, the young man realized that he was missing a shirt and was only wearing a pair of light pajama pants. His long bangs fell into his eyes and he moved to stand from his bed. There were traces of sweat still running down the side of his face and chest as he rubbed the dull pain away.

"Who...was that woman?" he muttered to himself, trying desperately to rub away the dull pain. The voice was unfamiliar, yet deep within his thoughts, he knew it all too well. There was a certain uneasiness her words brought to him. The thoughts made a small chill rush up and down his spine, making him shiver. The claw nails and taunting voice made his stomach become unsettled as he sat upon the edge of his bed. But before he could even attempt to think more about his nightmare, a soft tap at the door caused him to jump slightly. Aerrow stared at the door for a moment, praying that his vision would become steady. "Who's there?" he questioned. His voice was raspy, as if he had been shouting at a concert or was getting over strep throat. He rose to his feet carefully, making sure he found his center of balance once more.

The door slowly cracked opened, causing him glance off to the side slightly. There, silhouetted in the dim lights of the hallway, were Piper and Finn. They stood in the doorway, a small bowl of water in her hands while he had a small towel. Large, worried filled eyes glanced into the darkened room, watching him as he took careful measures to keep his balance.

Smiling as he watched them move slowly, Aerrow averted his gaze down to the floor. "You can come in, ya know." He said, trying to find strength in his voice again.

The duo slid quietly into the room, shutting the door behind them. For a moment, the three teens stood silent, unsure of what should be said. Aerrow knew they were probably angry with them for not telling them what had happened. They had every right to be annoyed by his behavior. He was acting stubborn by not wanting to talk about his encounter with the Dark Ace, but that wasn't any different from how he would normally act.

Piper was the first to make a move towards him. She hurried around his messy floor, placing the bowl onto the desk. "Aerrow," she muttered, moving to embrace with him. For a moment, the knight stumbled, almost loosing his footing as the girl clung to him tightly, as if he had just come home from a long mission. "Thank god you're okay. You had us so worried." She told, her voice sounding like it was shaking.

"Okay?" Aerrow questioned, looking down at Piper. Despite the feeling of nausea and uneven balance, the red head could feel his face growing warm from the unexpected hug. He had never seen such a worried stare in Piper's face as she held him tightly, almost as if not wanting to let him go. She was careful and gentle with her hold, trying not to hurt him or knock him over. It was in that moment, Aerrow didn't know how to respond. He held his arms up to the side slightly, mostly for balance and also unsure if he should return the hug.

Casting his gaze up at his best friend, Aerrow could see a small devilish grin in his general direction. Finn had moved from the doorway, smiling away as he saw him standing there, slightly confused and probably blushing from the girl's embrace. "What happened? I really don't," Aerrow began, letting his voice trail off into a shallow cough.

Finn started over to where they stood, continuing with his somewhat comforting smile. His blond hair fell into his face as always, making him reach up to brush the bangs out of the way. As Piper separated herself from Aerrow, he moved up and placed a hand to his friend's shoulder, "You passed out." He said bluntly.

The Sky Knight couldn't help but roll his eyes a bit at the straight forwardness of his companion. Finn was never the greatest at explaining things to him; always making things way too simplistic. He shook his head slightly, moving to sit back down on his bed. Just standing there seemed to be making him feel even more tired and weak.

"I mean, what happened?" Aerrow asked again, placing himself back down onto the comfort of his bed. "How did I get in my room?"

As soon as he sat, Piper quickly moved back to the desk, snatching the towel from the sharpshooter as she went. Placing the cloth into the cool water, she made sure the entire thing was submersed. "You grabbed your chest, gasping in pain," She began, gaining the young man's undivided attention. "Before you collapsed, you muttered something about the Dark Ace. Saying how he was wrong. But we couldn't make out the rest of what you said." She turned to face the two boys, concern within her stare. "I had Junko take you back here so that you could rest."

Finn stood next to the bed, nodding in agreement with her story, "Stork has been sending out a locked message to the other squads in the area, seeing if we could get some help or medicine for you. Apparently, you were running a fever and were 'muttering nonsense'." He paused, looking up at the girl, who nodded for him to continue on. "You slept through the night and most of today."

"And by the looks of it," Piper muttered, placing her hand to the red head's brow, "its gotten worse since the last time we checked on you."

"I feel fine Piper," Aerrow insisted on protesting, moving away from her hand. Though he attempted to move to still stay remaining upwards, his body did not agree with that line of thinking. A rush of dizziness overcame him, forcing his head to collide back to his pillow. He placed a hand to his head, feeling the inferno upon his being for the first time. The room felt like it was spinning as a set of hands came to his legs to move them back onto his bed as well. Opening his eyes as he came back into a flat position, Aerrow let a shallow cough escape him. "Okay…maybe not."

Piper sat down on the edge of his bed, the towel folded in her hands. Carefully moving aside some of his bangs, she placed the cool rag to his face. There was an instant sensation of relief over his tired body as a small rush of cold came over him. The room slowly started to stop spinning, though the burning began to resume within his chest. "Just rest for now," her voice was softer than its normal tone, causing Aerrow's eyes to glance at her carefully. "Stork is looking for some medicine for you to help bring down the fever. Until then, just stay in bed and try to relax as best as you can."

"Don't worry man," Finn's voice added from the background, "We'll make sure that we keep the Condor up and running while you get better."

And yet, the sharpshooter's words were lost to him. Aerrow couldn't break his stare from Piper's. She was gently moving the cool rag about his forehead and face, trying to make him as comfortable as possible. There was a soothing smile upon her lips that made even the harsh pain in his chest seem to vanish. Her touch was soft and calming, making him slowly drift off without being able to give a hint of thanks.

* * *

_Aerrow stood alone in a massive field underneath a starry sky. A full moon lit the darkness, revealing the mass varieties of night lilies in full bloom. Crickets chirped eerie songs as a light breeze carried it throughout the meadow. A few lone trees were placed across the landscape as mountains with snow-capped peaks were off in the far distance. They almost seemed like strange creatures within the moonlit night. As if they could awaken at any moment to start a nightly prowl for prey. The scene was almost too perfect to be real. _

'_You remember this place, don't you Aerrow?' a low and gritty familiar voice spoke from behind. Spinning around on his heels, the sky knight was met with strange yet familiar face. He was younger than he normally looked, for there was a lack of build to his form. His black hair was shorter than what he was used to seeing and the armored helmet was gone. A deep red shirt with black pants clung to his body, showing off each of his toned muscles. Piercing red eyes gazed as choppy bangs hung in his face lightly. 'Your mother would always bring you here to stargaze.'_

"_Dark Ace," Aerrow growled deeply, his hate exploding through the non-existent roof. "What is it you want to show me? Why did you bring me here? What did you do to me!?" _

_The breeze became harsher. All the flowers began to shed their petals and let them fly out into the wind. Aerrow shielded his eyes from the sudden gust of strong air. It was becoming a roaring and uncontrollable wind; too quick to be natural. With one strong gust, the teen was forced to his knees, air rushing around him. He kept his arm up, shielding his eyes from the onslaught. His body refused to move as he was forced to shut his eyes._

"_What are you doing to me?!" He shouted above the wind. Cracking his eyes opened slightly, the young man watched as the vision of the older man disappeared once more into the swirl of color around him. A soft laughter echoed throughout his mind as he let his eyes close once more. _

'_Wake up to the truth Aerrow,' the deep voice of the woman called on the breeze. 'Fall back into you memories. Everything you want to know is there."_

* * *

Hurrying into the kitchen of the Condor, Piper held the empty bowl with two dry clothes over the rim. It had been about two hours since Aerrow had fallen back asleep, keeping her busy with tending to him. Whenever she would have to leave the room, Radarr would be there to watch over his best friend. She averted her stare from the others, who sat about the table quietly, as she hurried across the room. They had been nursing the same the plates of food for most of the day, barely moving from where they sat. It was a rare sight to see food left on plates when it came to Junko and Finn, though it was common practice for Stork. After all, the Merb would only trust his own cooking. All of them looked as awful as she felt. They looked up at she entered the room, letting their eyes follow her carefully. 

Turning on the sink, Piper let the water slowly fill up the bowl. She kept a content expression on her face, trying to keep thinking positively. Aerrow would be fine and that was that. But within the depths of her sub-conscious, she knew that wasn't true. There was something very wrong and no one could figure it out. Out of all the years she had known him, the boy never even had the common cold. And now, he was far worse than anyone could have possibly imagined. He tossed in his sleep, his face looking as if he were in pain, and there was nothing she could do for him.

"How's our boy doing?" Finn's voice finally broke the silence, causing Piper to break out of her saddened thoughts.

Pouring some of the water from the bowl to let cooler liquid replace it, the strategist keep her eyes focused on her task. "The fever isn't going down. He keeps grabbing his chest and groaning in pain. I've done everything I've can to keep him relaxed, but he isn't getting better." Repeating the same process again, she sighed, "He needs medicine. Or better yet, a doctor."

Stork let his eyes dart over to the girl, then back to the round table. "I've tried to cook up something up out of everything I know of for something like this, but they all just ended in…failure." He explained, his timid voice seeming even more unstable than normal. The Merb's eyes darted about wildly, as if trying to find something lingering within the air that only he could know about. On occasion, his nose would sniff, mimicking Radarr in the strangest sense.

"What's with you?" Junko questioned, raising an eyebrow. "You seem more jumpy than normal."

"Oh you know," the pilot muttered, his eyes twitching uncontrollably. "We can't figure out what's wrong with Aerrow. For all we know, we could all have been contaminated with whatever bug is crawling around in his body." Shivering at the thought, the Merb quickly rose to his feet. "That's it…I'm going to get my emergency anti-germ suit. If anything, I might still have a chance."

Slamming the water off harshly, Piper lowered her chin to her chest. All eyes fell over to where the girl stood, watching her carefully. She had become a silhouette in the late afternoon sunlight, her shoulders starting to shake slightly. "It's no use," She muttered, the sound of her voice trembling becoming apparent. "He needs help. And I don't know what to do. I don't…"

The rest of the team fell silent as they watched as the girl's shoulders began to shake and quiver even more. This was one of those rare moments upon the Condor where the real differences between Piper and the rest of the crew became apparent. She was showing emotions that the guys were automatically unused to. They were all worried about their leader, but Piper seemed to be taking it the worst. She had barely left his side since he had been taken out of commission. She would talk to him, trying to get some kind of coherent response from him. If anything, just to let Aerrow know that he wasn't alone.

Straightening her back, the young girl dabbed the salty tears from her cheeks and eyes. "This is my fault. If I had just made him stay on the Condor when we were on the terra, then maybe he wouldn't be sick. If I could have just had him listen to me…for once…"

"You know Aerrow wouldn't want you to say that," Junko murmured over his glass, taking a quick sip of his strange juice. "This isn't anyone's fault. It just happened."

Turning on her heels, Piper glanced at her friends; her eyes slightly redden from crying. Her once brilliant blue locks were now messed and straggled about her face. She gave a weak smile, knowing that she had to keep herself composed. Junko's words meant a lot. Any kind of comfort at that point was more than welcome. "I know. But still I…"

"I suggest that we stop with this type of pity for ourselves," a familiar voice echoed throughout the small kitchen, making the team all look up in shock to the door. Short purple hair hung in her face as a small grin came to her lips. Her armor was just a polished and pristine looking as ever, the golds and browns still in wonderful condition, despite all the battle wears that seemed to be slightly visible. "and try to find out what's wrong."

Piper quickly covered her mouth as she let a small gasp of shock escape her. "St…Starling!" She exclaimed, feeling the normal bit of excitement to have such a famous sky knight in her presence. And yet, the acting leader knew she had to keep herself composed unlike most of her other encounters with the older woman. There was no time to be a silly fan of her. There were more pressing matters at hand.

Finn rose to his feet, quickly followed by the others. "Starling! Why are you-"

"Got your locked message over the communicator," the sky knight explained, letting her face become stern. "As soon as heard that you guys needed help, I came as quickly as I could." Coming up beside the sharpshooter, she placed a hand to his shoulder. "After all, you would have done the same for me. Now," she focused her eyes to Piper. "What happened?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. And I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe Holidays to all! Don't forget to read and review!

* * *


	10. Prince of Skies

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone! Sorry I have taken too long to update. But I was dying. (in a very literal sense-lol mono). But here I am...back and writing. Here is the next chapter for everyone and I really hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Prince of Skies

The throne room of Cyclonis' palace was a sight that very few would ever see. And if they did, they wish they never had. The room was lit and heated by a large raging fire within the large stone fireplace. It was warm glow, making the lighting of the room different shades of red and oranges. Books upon book lined the walls, while some shelves had piles of scrolls and hand-written notes dating back long before the beginning of the Sky Knight Wars. There were tales from the Harmonian Quadrant, maps of Dunan skies, histories of the various Terras and the politic history of the Cyclonian Empire.

And there, within the center of the massive room, stood the young woman. The hood to her cloak was spread out into its brilliant violet collar as she stared down before her. A medium sized clear crystal sat upon a wooden pedestal. A small fog seemed to fill the stone as it whirled and spun within, as if a tornado would burst forth from its glass holding case. Her long slender fingers hovered above it slowly as if the crystal master herself feared to touch the strange ball for herself.

"Out of all the idiotic things you have done while in my service," she muttered quietly, her black rimmed eyes glaring upward across the table from her.

Red eyes glared in their normal fashion back, though a twinge of fear seemed to linger within their depths. The Dark Ace had not even been given the chance to heal and tend to his wounds before his master had summoned him. He stood before her, battered and bleeding, waiting whatever punishment awaited she had planned for him, knowing to expect only the worst.

But instead of her scowl that could spread fear through thousands of men, the young master let her lips crawl into a twisted grin. "This is probably the only one I like," she finished, her eyes falling back to the crystal.

The Dark Ace felt both waves of relief and curiosity flow through his already weakened body. "I don't believe I understand master." He spoke, trying to hide the pain he was feeling from edging into his voice.

"The crystal you used against that Sky Knight was created for usage within a weapon." Her voice seemed to lighten almost becoming cheerful in a dark and twisted manner. Letting the tips of her nails touch upon the glass before her at last, a soft tap echoed softly between the two. "And yet, you found an even more effective way to let my plan unfold."

Raising a questioning eyebrow, the Dark Ace advanced forward slightly. "I don't understand," the knight spoken quickly, his eyes glancing to watch her slow moving fingers, "How did I—"

A small flash of light burst forth from the crystal, causing the man to withdraw in surprise. "By allowing the stone to activate before being placed into your sword, you forced it to enter the next closet thing to you." Master Cyclonis told, letting her hands to be bathed within the glow. As the two watched closely, an image began to burn through the mists that once filled the orb. There, within a void of darkness, was the familiar red head, lying motionless within the void. There were no signs of life within him, making the young woman laugh once more. "With that stone within his body, the sky knight will fall prey to my will. All of his fears, his dreams, and his memories…are at my command."

* * *

Piper and Starling moved swiftly through the many narrow halls of the Condor. After the woman's arrival, there was no time to enjoy the reunion. The blue haired woman quickly led her away towards Aerrow's room, trying to explain what had occurred within the last twenty-four hours. As they walked, Piper explained that he began to act weird when he admitted to her that he had been having a strange nightmare. The attack from the Dark Ace and the landing on the terra of the original Storm Hawks were the main topics, which causing the knight to fall quiet very quickly. 

"The original Storm Hawks? You actually found their base?" She cut off Piper as she was explaining about the plaque they had found in the town square.

Nodding, Piper led the woman around another corner into an oddly quiet part of the ship. "Yeah. We also found crates of old papers and photos of the original squadron and their history. While we were looking at them is when Aerrow got sick, so we never really finished looking over them."

Starling let herself remain silent as they continued on down the hall. She crossed her arms, letting her hand rest to her chin in thought. It wasn't the first time that Piper had seen the woman look so serious and deep within thought. And yet, there was a strange intensity that seemed to fill the very air around them. Her violet eyes were piercing the empty hallway ahead of them, making Piper move away from her slightly.

They approached Aerrow's door in silence. Sliding it opened carefully, the dull light of the hall flooded into the room. Radarr was curled up on the bed near the young man's head, his eyes opened and focused upon his friend. Piper had left the little creature as temporary caretaker while she had gone to get more water from the kitchen. He would nuzzle slightly at his friend, trying to keep him calm in his somewhat troubled-looking sleep. He groaned softly as his head tossed back and forth, sweat falling down his face.

Starling tried not to break her firm gaze, yet she could feel her stare softening at the sight. "Oh my," she muttered under her breath. "And how long did you say he was like this?"

Starting into the room, Piper clutched the water bowl tighter in her hands. "About a day and a half now. He hasn't been able to stay awake for more than five minutes at a time. Half of that time, its incoherent banter we get from him. Nothing really makes sense." Seeing the two women, Radarr's ears perked happily. He quickly stood up on the bed, edger for Piper to hand him another cloth for his friend's head.

"What kind of things has he been saying?" Starling asked, moving up to the side of the bed as well. She watched as the girl handed Radarr the cloth like he wanted and he went back to tending to Aerrow. "Anything in particular that stood out?"

Glancing over her shoulder, Piper slowly began to think. "Not that I can tell. I think he mentioned his father once. And I think something about his mother as well," Sighing a bit, she let her gaze drift to him. "I guess whenever someone gets sick, they would really like their parents taking care of them."

Aerrow let out another moan, causing the conversation to break. His voice was hoarse and was very soft, but the others knew he was trying to speak to them. "Pi…Piper…" He muttered, which was followed quickly by a cough.

Straightening her back and trying to act normal, the crystal expert approached the boy cautiously. She leaned in slowly, so that Aerrow wouldn't have to speak too loudly. "I'm here," She murmured quietly, taking her place next to the bed once more.

A weak stare slowly began to open as the two women studied him carefully. But Aerrow's once magnificent emerald green eyes were now faded and bloodshot. His tan skin was turning whiter by the minute and the blood had completely drained from his face. The red bangs that once hung loosely in his eyes, now clung to his face because of the sweat. The longer pieces that hung in the back were soaked from the damp rags and his perspiration as well.

"St….Starling?" Aerrow started softly through his heavy heaving breath. "What…are you…"

Grinning sincerely, the knight messed his hair slightly. "I received the message your team sent out. I have to say, you love to make things interesting." She told him quietly. Placing her hand onto his brow, she had to conceal her frown. His fever was incredibly high, almost making it hurt to keep her hand there for much longer. Starling felt her fingers becoming wet with something cool, whether it was from the water or his own freezing sweat, she couldn't tell.

The red head returned the soft smile. But before he could say anything else, his eyes rolled up into his head and he grew limp once more. Senir felt his heart stop in his chest as he pulled away. Grasping onto the boy's shoulder, she began to shake it. "Aerrow? Hey, wake up." she spoke, causing Piper and Radarr to rush to the side of the bed.

"What happened?" Piper questioned, leaning in over her friend to get a better look at him.

Glancing over her shoulder at the younger woman, the sky knight pulled back from Aerrow. She withdrew her hand from his brow, the feeling of the fever still lingering upon her fingertips. There was no doubt about it that he was ill, but there was something that didn't seem right about the situation. Keeping her stare locked with the sleeping youth, her thoughts began to race.

Straightening up, she tried to put on a positive air. "It's alright Piper. He just went back to sleep." Rising from her place, Starling moved gracefully to turn, heading for the door. She brushed past the young strategist, forcing her gaze forward towards the door. "Make sure he is comfortable and then come to the bridge. Leave Radarr to watch over him. I need to get more information on what exactly happened." Her beautiful accent echoed throughout the small cabin.

Nodding, knowing that it wasn't a request that Starling had made, Piper remained silent. Radarr scurried up to her shoulder, taking up the position that he would normally have for with his best friend. They both stared at the sky knight with curiosity as she vanished from sight. Letting her orange eyes fall to the metal floor, the girl couldn't help but know whatever there was to discuss, it would not be a good moment. There was more than she was letting on and they needed to know what.

"You heard her Radarr," she finally muttered, the creature's ear's perking at his name. "Watch Aerrow. I'll be back as soon as I can." Nodding with a small salute, Radarr leapt from his perch, landing perfectly onto the bed beside his friend. Her eyes glanced to her sky knight for a brief moment, seeing him peacefully unconscious. For a moment, she could feel her cheeks flush. 'I'll be back Aerrow…I promise.'

The bridge of the Condor was silent by the time that Piper arrived from Aerrow's room. Finn, Junko, and Stork sat about their meeting table as Starling began to rummage through one of the large crates that remained. Her slender face was stern as she removed pictures and documents of all sizes and shapes from the box, letting fearsome violet eyes glance over each individual item within her hands.

Moving towards the table, the young girl quickly took a seat between Finn and Stork, letting her gaze fall to where everyone else seemed to look at. "What's going on?" she whispered to the blond beside her, knowing that he probably didn't know the answer.

Just as she thought, Finn just gave a quick shrug. "She hasn't said a word since she came back from Aerrow's. All she has been doing since is going through those pictures."

"Only because I wanted to see if something was true," Starling finally spoke, snapping the Storm Hawks back into silence. Looking up from the photos before her, the sky knight she let her gaze cross the group before the rest of her words could come. "and I can't believe I couldn't put two and two together for all this time."

As Starling lowered herself into a chair, Piper leaned in on the table. "What are you talking about? Nothing you are saying is making sense." At first, Piper had to withdraw herself, surprised by her own harshness. Here before her was her idol of all the skyknights in Atmos, and she was finding herself becoming frustrated by her mystery words.

Looking down at the photos in her hands once more, Starling closed her eyes. "Tell me. Do you recognize anyone in these photos?" She tossed them onto the table before her, remaining as still as she could. The three small scraps scattered between the Storm Hawks, causing the youths to lean into get a better look. "I know they are a bit faded, but try to se what I see."

The images were just as she said; wore and faded. But they all seemed to stand out in some way or form. The first image was of a small group of people standing before a large set of skimmers. They all were smiling and posing for the camera, looking as if there wasn't a care in the world. One of the men held a young boy up in his arms, sharing a very similar smile between them. The child clung to the man's neck as he looked at the camera as well, his messy hair hanging about this face.

Finn was the first to speak, "It's the original Storm Hawks," he spoke bluntly, obviously stating the answer that everyone had already figured out on their own. "But what about it? What's the big deal?"

Starling rolled her eyes, "It's not the group of the people who matters Finn. Look closer." She told, urging them to keep looking.

Junko snatched the picture up to take a closer look. "The kid looks kinda familiar, but I can't put my finger on it." He told bluntly, letting his eyes squint for a closer look. "He kinda looks like Aerrow."

Piper looked up to Starling when the Wallop's words left his lips. The purple haired woman still had her eyes shut, though her muscles seemed to tense. Her long fingers curled up into a tight fist, letting her knuckles turn white. "Is Junko right?" She asked nervously, "Is…is that Aerrow?"

Turning to face them straight on, Starling let her eyes finally open, though kept her gaze to the table. "Back before the rise of the new Cyclonian Empire, it was a rare find to see a sky knight even try to think of having a family. Let alone find someone to love in general. The war was too dangerous and no man would dare to risk having a piece of himself being killed."

"This isn't gonna turn into a 'where do babies come from speech" is it?" Finn remarked, trying to lighten the mood. Though his attempt was quickly silenced by Piper's elbow into his ribs, Starling did not loose a beat in her speech.

"Five years before the fall of the Storm Hawks, their sky knight and his wife were blessed with a son. A rarity in the guilds of Sky Knights, a lot of us dubbed his son the 'Prince of Skies'. He was one of the first children born to such an honored sky knight." She paused, rising from her spot. Turning her back to the group, she moved slowly towards the window. "Of course, when something of such a major magnitude occurs in Atmos, it does not stay secret to the enemy too long. The Cyclonians got wind of the birth of the son and knew that it would be a great assist to them to get their hands on him. By having something of that kind of influence in their control, they could make the sky knight bend to their wishes."

Piper glanced down at the photo once more as silence fell upon the room again. She looked at the smiling child in the photo, letting her eyes narrow to examine it closer. The same big grin she had come to know all too well was staring back at her. Those big green eyes and red hair that she felt silly for not knowing before that moment; it was true. "Aerrow…you are talking about Aerrow." She muttered, feeling her heart suddenly race.

Nodding as she came up to the windows of the bridge, the woman leaned against the glass. "How did you think he was able to have the Condor, the skimmers, and the armor? And how he was able to even enter the trials at his age?" Glancing back to them, she let a small smile come to her lips, "It's because he is the son of the Storm Hawks first and only sky knight."

"There is no possible way!" Finn interjected, jumping to his feet. "Why would Aerrow keep that from us?! That is something pretty big. It just doesn't make any—"

"Do you forget when he was brought to Atmoisa for the first time Finn?" Starling cut him off, causing the blond to silence his outburst. "You're father was part of the reach and recovery team for that mission. He was the one who found Aerrow to begin with. Beaten up and unconscious," She stopped, looking to the floor, "it was no wonder he lost his memory."

Stork cringed a bit, letting himself twitch at the words slightly, "Memory loss due to a swift hit to the head then repressed negative thoughts about the event." He looked to the group quickly, nodding "Its no wonder that he didn't tell us. He had no idea what happened. Probably still doesn't."

But Piper shook her head, "Until now. He must have remembered flashes of that night when we got to the terra. His mind must have reacted to the surroundings." Placing her hand to her chin in thought, the young woman couldn't help but try and start to piece things together. The events that had occurred were not just a series of unfortunate events. For some reason, everything began to seem connected. The Dark Ace, finding the terra, all of this information; it was connected.

"All we can do right now is keep Aerrow comfortable until we find out what is wrong with him." Starling explained, gaining back the attention of the group. "I brought some medicine for him from my own headquarters, so it should help to bring down the fever he seems to have gained. But we need to find out what is causing this."

Finn just crossed his arms with a smug expression. "What makes you think this isn't just some flu or something? Why can't the guy just get sick on occasion?"

Starling began to answer the blond, but her non-existent words became interrupted by a loud and glass-shattering scream echoing across the long empty halls of the Condor. There was a moment of lingering silence as the shout ended, though traces of it still seemed to hang in the air.

"Aerrow!" Piper gasped, quickly jumping to her feet. Before anyone could react to the shout, the young girl was out the door and down the hallway, hurrying to the source of the screaming. She knew that the others would follow behind, for a shout like that was not one to ignore.

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** Author's Notes:** Hope you all enjoyed it! Don't forget to read and review!

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	11. Breaking Down

**Author's Notes:** Living I hear is very overrated. Anyways, thank you everyone for the comments. Over a hundred now. That was something nice to see. I'm really happy that everyone is enjoying the story. Also, thank you for all the input and ideas. But unfortunately, all my stories are completely planned out from beginning to end before I write them. Starling and Finn to me is a very brother/sister relationship. Sorry to disappoint. But there are some funny moments between them coming up, that much I can promise.

Oh. And Aerrow and Piper lovin' in this chapter. Hope you all enjoy it!

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**Chapter Eleven**  
Breaking Down

'_Where am I now?' Aerrow asked to no one, his voice sounding echo-like. It felt like ages since he had been able to open his eyes to something that wasn't an illusion. He wanted to try and fight back, but there was no longer any energy left in him to keep up resisting everything._

'_Aerrow,' the voice whispered, forcing the red head to bring his head up. 'How can you not remember that?'_

_Raising his gaze completely, the young knight found himself within a familiar hallway. Wooden floors ran down to where the kitchen was, where he could hear his mother moving about. The scent of one of her freshly made stews flooded his nose, making his stomach growl with hunger. A think crack of light came into the darkened corridor as he remained by the door to what he knew as his father's study. Normally, he would be allowed to enter the room without any hesitation. But the raised voices forced him to remain frozen within his spot on the floor._

'_Forget it Ace,' his father's voice spoke flatly. 'I cannot believe it.'_

_The sounds of a chair sliding across the floor made the young red head press back against the wall again. 'But the oracle crystal spoke those words. You were there. You heard them for yourself.' _

_Aerrow recognized the voice within a heartbeat. 'The Dark Ace,' he thought, pressing in closer to hear better._

_But a heavy sigh escaped his father, 'Destinies can be changed. And my son…will NEVER serve under Cyclonia.' _

'_According to the prophecy, him going to Cyclonia could stop this war.' Ace continued, 'This could be what we need to—'_

_The sounds of fists slamming to the desk causing Aerrow to jump slightly, 'Aerrow is my son, Ace. Not yours.'_

'_He might as well be.' _

_Aerrow found himself surrounded by nothing but darkness. The void was warm, and at the same time seemed to send chills down his spine. The black was on all sides as he, as he thought to be, floating upside down. A breeze brushed his hair as the sensation of falling was starting to become clearer. His body was exhausted, for all he had been through had caught up with him all at once. Memories, battles, everything he had known, had come down on him like a tidal wave, making every inch of his body hurt._

'_Please…' he begged, trying desperately to gain control of his thoughts again. 'No more…'_

_The deep and sultry voice laughed, filling the darkness with an even more eerie feel. 'It's time to see your true place, Aerrow.'_

'_My…true place?' he questioned, feeling himself finally find his right way up. 'My place is with the Storm Hawks. Where…my father and family were. I have to…carry on their legend.' _

_Suddenly, a blinding flash of white light shot and lit the void, causing Aerrow to quickly shield his eyes. A whirlwind surrounded him, his hair flying about wildly him. He dropped to his knees, letting the glow surround him. It was a soothing warmth that engulfed his senses and relaxed his tired and aching muscles. He let out a shout, trying desperately to let his voice be heard through the darkness. _

_The light slowly began to dim as Aerrow continued to feel himself calming down. His own shouts were the only sound that he could hear. Although he felt the air rushing about his body, he knew that he wasn't moving any longer. _

'_What's happening? What's going on?' Aerrow called to the voice, 'Where are you taking me?' But the voice was no where to be heard. _

_Within a split moment of his words being spoken, Aerrow felt his feet touch a form of ground as the sounds of footsteps echoed. Uncovering his eyes, the young sky knight was finally able to see where the voice had sent him again. It was a dark and unforgiving place, for the sky that he could see was red and shrouded with clouds. Lighting flashed through the ominous sky as skimmers shot past the window. The room was dark to the point where Aerrow could not tell if there was actually anything there. He knelt quietly, keeping his eyes focused on two figures that stood within the balcony before him. _

_Aerrow felt the breeze brush his own features as he stood there, watching them. 'Who…?' He asked. _

"_We better go," The man spoke, his voice stern and harsh. "After all, we have to make the announcement of your plans." _

_Smiling, the woman nodded to him. "Yes, my knight. You will lead the attack. And you will destroy the Storm Hawks. I hope this won't be too hard. I mean…after all, they were your family." Her tone was harsh and almost mocking, making Aerrow recognize it almost instantly._

'_Cyclonis…' he growled under his breath. But before he could even attempt to move, Aerrow felt himself once again freeze in fear._

_The knight turned swiftly, falling to one knee. Taking hold of the young master's hand, he bowed his head to her. "I will serve you until the end. Just as it was foreseen, my master." _

_Bringing his head up, Aerrow let his jaw drop and eyes widen. As the knight brought his head up, he touched his lips to her hand. Bright red hair could been since within the low light as the shine of the Cyclonian armor came into view. The woman smiled down at him, letting him kiss her hand, a twisted grin upon her lips. _

_Aerrow felt this heart stop in his chest as the picture faded back into the darkness. Letting his shoulders slouch as he continued to kneel upon the ground, he lowered his head to his chest. 'No…never. How…what?'_

* * *

Piper was the first one into Aerrow's cabin. Rushing into the room, she quickly turned on the lights. Radarr had left his spot upon the bed, now standing looking scared. The young knight was thrashing about in his sleep, soft groans escaping him as he laid helpless. All of the sheets of his bed had become contorted about his body, as if trying to constrain him from moving.

Hurrying to his side, the girl quickly knelt beside the bed. "Aerrow! What's wrong? Can you hear me?" She questioned, trying desperately to try and grab onto him. But each attempt proved to be a failure, for he would only move away from her, continuing to scream.

"It's the fever," Starling spoke up as she and the others quickly entered the room. She crossed over to where Piper knelt, removing something from her bracers. It was a small vile of liquid, filled with a purple and red substance. Small bubbles seemed to keep circling throughout as she held it out to Piper. "You give it to him. We'll hold him down."

Finn and Junko were quick to move at her words. The wallop moved to take hold of his leader's arms, making sure to hold him down enough not to hurt him. If there was one thing that Junko always made sure of was that he was gentle with the others. He knew his strength was beyond their human bodies. Gently but with some force, he took hold of Aerrow's arms, holding them down to the mattress. Looking up to Finn, he saw the blond do the same with his legs, restraining them firmly.

Starling quickly moved to hold Aerrow's head, making sure to keep him still. Looking up to Piper, she let her eyes meet the girl's. "Piper quickly. We can't hold him down very long."

Nodding slowly, Piper moved to sit up upon the bed. At that very moment, she knew that there was no way she could get Aerrow to take this without some kind of force. He was screaming too much, there was no way that he would be able to drink the medicine without it spilling everywhere. It was when the idea hit her. Opening the vile, Piper took one look at the drug and then at her friend. She knew that the others would not be able to leave her alone after this move, but it was what needed to be done. Taking in a deep breath, Piper quickly poured the medicine into her mouth.

"What the? What are you doing Piper!" Finn questioned, almost loosing his hold on Aerrow's legs.

But the girl ignored him. Leaning into Aerrow, Piper pressed her lips firmly to his, letting her eyes close tightly. His screams suddenly became muffled as the girl's lips caused him to tense. Bringing her hand up to his throat, she began to gently rub his throat, helping the liquid down into his mouth. The red head slowly let his body relax, letting the others slowly let him go. Piper could feel her cheeks flush as Aerrow's body relaxed. His skin was cold to the touch because of a thin layer of icy sweat that had covered his body from his nightmare. She could feel his chest start to even out his breathing as she felt the last of the medicine leave her mouth to his. Pulling back slightly, Piper let herself exhale slightly.

Though she tried not to notice, Piper smiled at the look of Aerrow. Despite the state of his body, he was still incredibly handsome. She kept her hands gently upon his neck and chest, making sure that he was completely calm. Just the way that his hair fell about his face made her heart flutter slightly. Deep down, Piper knew that such feelings shouldn't be happening between her and her knight. But to her, that's what he was. The knight that she had always dreamed of since she was little. It was in that brief moment that she could have sworn that she had just seen a flicker of those brilliant green eyes gaze back at her. But she knew that it was probably her imagination...or her desire playing into her head that already felt slightly dizzy from all of the thoughts that just overwhelmed her. 

"He should be okay now," she muttered, pulling herself back into an upright position. She could feel her head spin as she sat up, though keeping her gaze on Aerrow. Taking in another deep breath, she turned to the others. "He seems to have—"

"Dude…" was all she heard muttered, cutting Piper off completely. Junko, Finn, and Radarr stood in a state awe. For a moment, she could have sworn that it was there was just shock at her actions, though it was quickly replaced by curiosity. Starling had a small smile upon her lips as she let Piper's gaze lock with hers. The older woman must have noticed her pause before she came up to say anything to them. 

Finn continued from his well-worded conversation. "What…did you just….do!" he questioned, letting his jaw drop. "Ya…you….with the drinking…then the kissing…and the yeah."

Piper flustered at the words, "It...it wasn't a kiss Finn!"

Starling placed a hand to the girl's shoulder, giving her a small squeeze of reassurance. "It's a very common thing Finn. Aerrow wouldn't have been able to take that medicine if it wasn't forcefully given to him. She had no choice but to give it to him that way." She paused, shooting a glare to the blond. "Unless you wanted to give him the medicine like that, then of course I would have let you—"

"Whoa whoa…whoa." The sharpshooter flew backwards against the wall. "I'm good thanks," Straightening himself up to help regain his cool nature, Finn let a smirk cross his lips, "Besides, we all know Aerrow will love to hear that it was Piper that gave him that nice kiss." 

"FINN! WHAT DID I JUST SAY!" Piper roared, rising to her feet. She felt ready to leap across the room at him just to make him shut up.

Starling moved quickly between them, holding up her hands. "Cool it. Both of you. Aerrow is finally asleep and if you start screaming, you are going to wake him up." Seeing both teens back down from starting a fight, the violet-haired woman gave a nod. "Now, I want Junko, Finn, and Radarr to head back to their posts. Stork is still on the bridge I believe, cowering under the steering panel. Piper and I will remain here with Aerrow and make sure that he is alright." 

Looking about the cabin, Starling could see that every Storm Hawk seemed to be loosing whatever strength they seemed to have left. It was hard for anyone when their leader and friend was ill, but it seemed to be even worse than the normal case with this particular crew. Piper sat back down on the edge of Aerrow's bed once more, keeping her eyes focused down to her leader. The knight could tell that the young woman had a very faint glow upon her face. The thought it gave Starling was one that made her smile, knowing that there was more there than meets the eye.

* * *

"It's time," Cyclonis muttered softly, watching through her crystal before her. She smiled as she let her claws pass over the image of the young sky knight, almost seeming to trace around every inch of his face. "I think I have waiting long enough for my knight to come home to me."

The Dark Ace nodded in agreement. Glancing past the young woman, the knight caught a glimpse of red head within the sphere. Aerrow knelt within the darkness, hands firmly planted upon the sides of his head. He looked as if he were crying, showing every ounce of weakness possible. It was the first time he had seen the boy in such a distressed form since that night all those years ago. For a brief moment, the Dark Ace could have sworn that in that glance, he felt compassion.

'I'm sorry my old friend,' he thought, pulling back to a firm stance. 'But Aerrow belongs to Cyclonia. The oracle had foreseen it…and it can never be changed.'

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**Author's Note:** Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to Read and Review.

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	12. Flight

**Author Notes**: Hey everyone! I'm sorry for the delay. Currently, I'm nearing the end of my semester here at school and its getting really hectic. I'm sorry that my uploading speeds aren't great. But the life of a Television major and whatnot. Its kinda nuts. Anyways, onto the story! I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It was really hard to figure out what I wanted to happen. Crazy things be crazy. So, let's hope for the best.

Enjoy everyone!

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**Chapter Twelve**

Flight

* * *

Starling walked into Aerrow's bunk, a small bowl of water within her hands. Besides going to check up on what the others were doing, she wanted to give Piper a little bit of space after the small scene that Finn had caused her. She had seen that stare in a girl's eyes before and there was no doubt in her mind. Walking into the room, the woman paused, catching a glance at the crystal expert.

Piper sat quietly in her chair beside Aerrow. The young girl seemed to be feeling the strain and exhaustion of watching over him, for she was hunched over, head in her hands. She hadn't spoken much since the medicine incident earlier. There was a long and distant look in her eyes whenever she would look up at the young man. It was as if she couldn't make sense of her own thoughts.

Moving quickly across the room, Starling took up her chair once more. "I got the water Piper," she spoke up, causing the girl to jump at the presence. "It seems like we won't be needing it much longer. His fever seems to have dropped."

Letting her gaze finally move to the woman, Piper gave a small nod. "Yeah. That…that medicine seems to have worked great on him." She told, trying to muffle a yawn.

Passing the water off to Piper, Starling leaned back in her chair. "You seem pretty tired," she casually pointed out, crossing her legs and arms at once. "Guess you have been with Aerrow this whole time, huh?"

"Yeah. Radarr and I have been taking turns watching him," the crystal specialist smiled sleepily, removing and placing the small cloth into the icy water. "I just don't want to leave. In case something like before happens."

A smile couldn't help but creep to Starling's lips. "Tell me something Piper," the words made Piper look up from the water. "How long have you known Aerrow?"

Leaning back into her chair for a moment, Piper took a moment to think. "I've known him since we first met on Atmosia. My mother and I were visiting Finn's father since our dads used to be in the same squadron." She smiled softly at the memory, causing Starling to sit forward again. "Finn and I were out playing when his father brought Aerrow out from the house. He told us that he had just gotten to the terra and that he had been through a lot, so he asked us to let him play with us.

"Finn was thrilled that he had another boy to play with, but Aerrow wasn't very talkative." Piper glanced up at Starling, the smile becoming wider than before. "You know Finn. Even when he was little, he would talk a mile a minute."

The words made both women chuckle slightly. "So the Storm Hawks met when they were still really little." Starling told, looking very impressed by the thought. "It explains how well you click as a team."

"Since that day, Aerrow just has always been there. He eventually started to talk to me and we became really good friends." Piper explained, looking back to the red head. It was then that the expression suddenly softened a great deal. "He's always been there for me, and I want to do the same for him."

* * *

'_Everything is so confusing…' Aerrow thought, 'Why can't I fight this?' The tears began to form at the edge of his green eyes. His legs would no longer support the dead weight as he gave. Falling to the cold floor, he knelt as the sobs began to come. Red bangs fell in front of emerald eyes, as if trying to consol their owner's pathetic outburst of sadness._

_A soft touch came to his cheek, making every muscle tense and his cries subside. He glanced up to meet a pair of dark violet eyes. A twisted smile and long raven black hair was the sight that greeted him. Her violet cloak wrapped about her body as she bents over, letting her long fingers caress the young man's face. 'Poor…little…knight.' Were her only words to him._

_Aerrow didn't even attempt to pull away from her as she did so. 'Please…no more,' he whispered, his voice raspy and sore. 'I…can't get this up any longer.' _

_Letting her grin grow, the girl straightened up. 'Don't worry, my little knight. You are now within my power.'_

_Every muscle suddenly became limp and unable to move. Aerrow let his head fall to his chest, his eyes glazing over. He could hear Cyclonis start to snicker at his pathetic form as every inch of him could no longer move. 'I'm…sorry everyone…I give up…'_

'_Come back to me…my knight.'_

* * *

Piper sighed as she once again placed the cloth to Aerrow's head. "I think the fever finally broke Starling." She spoke softly, gaining the woman's attention again.

"Let me check," the knight spoke quickly, rising from her chair. As her hand came closer to where Piper had placed the towel, Aerrow's body convulsed quickly. The two women jumped with gasps of shock. In one swift moment, the young leader sat up in his bed, letting his blankets fall around him. He made no movements or sound as he remained sitting, body completely relaxed. Aerrow's bare chest breathed slowly, almost looking as if he were a doll.

"Aerrow," Piper murmured in a small tone. "You're awake."

Starling did not share in the same happiness. Just by how he had sat up, the sky knight could tell there was something not right. Aerrow was stiff and silent, two things that were completely out of his normal persona. And the convulsion made it more apparent that there was something amiss.

"Piper, stay away from him!" She bellowed, letting her eyes narrow. Taking a step back, Starling reached back to take hold of her weapon.

Glancing back over her shoulder at the knight, Piper raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

But before the girl could even react, Aerrow was on his feet. He quickly took hold of his weapons from the end table, activating one of his blades. Whirling about, the red head took hold of Piper's arm, twisting it behind her. The girl screamed out in pain as she was pulled back against him, facing Starling. No restraint was in his grasp as his fingers dug into her, holding her tightly within that spot. The glow of the blade was close to Piper's flesh as she stood still, unable to move away.

Starling could only watch as the red head lifted his eyes to meet hers. The once beautiful and vibrate green eyes that she knew since he was young were gone. Instead, blood red orbs stared her down, seeming to churn within his gaze. There was no emotion within his face, no way to read any thoughts that might be within his head. Pale hands gripped tightly to the blades as the blue glow seemed to illuminate his white complexion even more so.

"Aerrow," She began taking a small step forward, making sure to show him her empty hands. "Just calm down."

But before any movements were made, the sound of the door being thrown opened was heard from behind. "Hey, what's wrong now?" Finn's voice questioned.

It was almost in a blur. The red head swiftly threw Piper away from his death hold, flinging her backwards onto his bed roughly. Aerrow was across the room within seconds, his blade extended outward. Running past the sharpshooter, he paused in the hallway, stealing a glance back into the room.

"AH!" The sharpshooter screamed out, taking hold of his arm quickly. His uniform shirt slowly became stained in a deep crimson color. Dropping to a knee, Finn leaned against the door frame, clutching his wound tightly. "Damn…"

Starling withdrew her weapon, if only for a means of protection. Just by looking at his eyes, the woman could tell that Aerrow was not in the right state of mind. "Piper, take care of Finn!" she ordered to the girl, who still remained in shock on the bed.

Aerrow glared back into the room. His red hair fell into his eyes, shielding his gaze from the others. Clutching to his weapons within his already tight fists, the young knight bolted from their sight, heading off into the depths of the Condor.

Curling her lip in frustration, Starling took up the chase. She knew that Piper would do as she was asked, therefore no reason to worry about Finn. The only thing that mattered right now was stopping Aerrow before he could hurt anyone else on his team. Turning quickly out of the room, she caught sight as the younger knight rounded the corner. 'Damnit,' she cursed to herself, hurrying after him. 'He's heading for the hanger.'

For being someone who had suddenly become bedridden for the past few days, Aerrow was surprising quick on his feet. He rounded the corners and ducked quickly from Starling's sight whenever she finally managed to catch a glimpse of him once more. The long, empty corridors of the Condor seemed to drag on forever as she finally caught sight of the large empty hanger.

The younger knight was already at his skimmer by the time she burst into the room. "Aerrow! What are you doing?! Stop this now!" Starling screamed, desperation now coming forth in her voice.

It was in that brief moment that Aerrow halted in his movements. He sat upon his skimmer in silence, his head low and face hidden by his red hair. His bare chest barely seemed to be moving, even though he had just been running. Traces of sweat could still be seen upon his skin as he sat, weapons poised in hands.

"There is nothing you can do for him now," A voice spoke clearly from Aerrow. It was low, almost feminine sounding. A voice that made chills run down Starling's spine. Aerrow's head lifted to reveal his red eyes and blank stare. "Aerrow belongs to me. To Cyclonia."

Starling felt her heart in her throat. "Cy…Cyclonis…"

Nodding, Aerrow's stare still remained glass-like. "The game is over, sky knight. You can no longer keep him from his true place." The engine revved before the woman could take in the words. His head turned from her, allowing the bike to take off from the hanger. He started down the landing strip, flipping opened the wings to the skimmer.

Moving from her spot, Starling ran towards the door. She knew that her chasing him would not yield the young man's actions, for they were not his own. Cyclonis had finally found a way to get to Aerrow. Though how was not known to her. As she watched the skimmer fly off, the idea to chase after him briefly crossed her mind. But it would have almost been as if she wanted to sign her own death warrant. If Cyclonis was bringing Aerrow back to Cyclonia, there would be Talons everywhere along the route to stop any interception or rescue attempts.

There was no hesitation within her next actions. Starling took off back into the Condor, her feet moving as quickly as they possibly could. Everything had become a complete blur as she let herself move down the all too familiar hallways, trying to collect her thoughts. She knew that the original sky knights that served with Aerrow's father would know what to do; herself being included. Though the shock had not passed, the young woman knew that it had pass. There were things that needed to happen and happen quickly.

Letting the automatic doors to the bridge open before her, Starling let her eyes glance about the room. Finn and Piper were at the meeting table, trying to patch up their wounds. The girl was slowly wrapping the sharpshooter's arm, him flitching to her gentle touch. Junko was beside Finn, holding the blond still so that he wouldn't try to flee from Piper's medical assistance. Radarr and Stork were at the wheel of the ship, both looking ahead into the dark night that had engulfed Atmos.

Starling knew right at that moment that they had seen it. "You saw him fly off then?" she questioned, pausing in the doorway.

All eyes fell upon the knight, each stare full of a sad lingering look. "By the looks of his angle of take off," Stork spoke, glancing back out the window, "he's heading for Cyclonia."

"What?" Finn began, flinching slightly at the healing crystal on his arm. "Aerrow suddenly had the urge to go and fight the Dark Ace? Or maybe another near death mission to destroy Cyclonia itself."

Moving her eyes to the floor, Starling quickly crossed the room without a single falter in her steps. She hurried to the communication output, taking up the comm. device within her hands. Turning the dial on the radio, she began to search for the signal that was needed. It had to be closed, knowing that almost all the wavelengths were easily tapped by the Cyclonians.

"Starling? What are you doing?" Piper questioned, rising to her feet as she finished patching Finn's arm. "What's wrong?"

But the woman did not answer. Finding the frequency she desired, there was a moment of brief pause as she picked up the receiver. Static echoed throughout the room as the Storm Hawks stood silent, watching the purple-haired knight collect herself. Taking in a deep breath in, Starling pressed down on the transmit button, letting her voice be heard over the signal.

"Calling all sky knight squadrons within the southern skies. This is Starling of the Interceptors. I am currently at the present coordinates being shown through this transmitting message. This is a locked signal. There is an emergency that we have feared for years." Pausing for a moment, she placed her head down against the receiver, trying to compose herself. It was in that few seconds of dead air that she wanted to say that it was just an awful dream and that there was no need to move. But she knew it would not fly. "The oracle's prophecy has come true. Aerrow has…gone to Cyclonia. We need to act now and quickly. Please, respond to this message. Send word that you can come and end this before the full vision is fulfilled. For the bond and oath we made to the Storm Hawks. Please."

Static once again filled the bridge as Starling placed the receiver onto the radio. Placing her hands to the panel, all she could do was lower her head. She could feel the stares of shock as the Storm Hawks stood in a thick wave of silence and awe. There had been things that they did not need to know, but for a good reason. They didn't need to try and force their team apart through something that may or may not happen. But now, it had ended poorly for them.

"This is Suzi-Lu of the Absolute Zeros, eh? We'll be there in about and hour." A voice came over the radio, causing Starling to lift her head in shock.

"You have the Rex Guardians support. We will report shortly."

"This is the newly appointed Sky Knight of the Red Eagles. Consider our power yours."

Smiling as the responses came in, Starling turned from the console. And yet, her small feeling of relief fled her body at the sight before her. Piper, Junko, Finn, Stork, and Radarr stood before her, arms crossed with gazes that could have frozen her blood. Their anger raged about them as they watched her move to face them completely. "I…can explain." She began, holding up her hands to try and calm them down.

Piper stepped forward, keeping her arms crossed. Staring the knight in the eye, she let her orange eyes dig into Starling's. "We want to know everything. Don't hide anything from us." Closing her eyes for a moment, Piper glanced away, trying to hide her face from view. But she couldn't hide it from the older woman.

Letting there eyes meet once more, a small stream of tears began to fall down Piper's cheeks. "What's happened to Aerrow?"

* * *

**Author's Note**: I hope you all enjoyed this installment. Don't forget to read and review!

* * *


	13. Anxious Heart

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to the beginning of the end. This chapter was so incredibly hard to write because I knew what I wanted to happen after this. But I had to get this out first. This more of a look into Aerrow and Piper's relationship. But, I guess you guys are gonna have to read on to see what I mean. ENJOY!

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**Chapter Thirteen**

Anxious Heart

"Master Cyclonis, the knight from-" a foot soldier announced, bowing slightly into the throne room.

"Let him in," the young ruler muttered, letting a small grin cross her lips. Reaching up to her crystal before her, she let the small stone float over her open palm. A dull purple light drenched her hand as she slowly turned to face the door. "He is no threat."

As the young woman turned, the Dark Ace let his gaze fall over to the door. There, standing silhouetted within the bright lights of the hallway, was the familiar red head. His chest and feet were bear as he slowly moved into the room. Aerrow's arms barely moved from his sides, where his blades were clenched in a tight hold. His hair was messier than normal, though traces of sweat could be seen upon his face. Once brilliant green eyes were now red, matching that of his own. He stopped a few feet from where the two stood, standing silent as if awaiting orders.

Stepping forward from her throne, Cyclonis moved towards the young man. "Aerrow," she spoke holding out the crystal before her, "Welcome home."

Aerrow's movements were quick. Taking a knee before her, he lowered his head. "I live only to serve you, Master Cyclonis." He spoke, letting his eyes be hidden from view.

Coming to a stop before him, Cyclonis held out her free hand. The Dark Ace watched as the young knight released his one of his blades, letting his hand come up to hers. Closing his eyes, Aerrow let his lips grace the back of her hand without falter or hesitation. Cyclonis could only let her smile grow as she watched the red head's actions.

Letting his arms cross about his chest, the Dark Ace stood silent. Master Cyclonis could only enjoy the fact that her plan had worked, gaining herself her destined sky knight. And yet, deep within his stomach, there was an unsettling feeling. To him, emotions were a thing of the past. There was no way he could give into them. And yet, as he watched Aerrow kneeling before his master, a twinge of something hit his thoughts. Something that hadn't existed since his days as a wingman.

'_My son will NEVER serve under Cyclonia_!' he could hear his friend's voice echoing within the locked memories in his mind. The words made his stomach turn.

"Dark Ace," She called back, forcing the raven hair man to straighten up. "Show Aerrow to his new quarters." Glancing over her shoulder, he let her gaze narrow. "He is now in your charge."

"Of course, Master." The man gave a deep bow, shaking off his strange feeling.

* * *

Starling stood silent at the communication console, letting the silence ring in her ears. She knew that there was no escaping the truth any longer. There was no reason to hide it. She straightened herself up, trying to regain some kind of authority over the young squadron, who had moved to sit about their meeting table once more. Letting her sharp eyes glance about, Starling let her gaze fall upon the crates from before.

"I don't even have to question if you all have heard of the Oracle Crystal." She told flatly, gaining nods from the rest of the group.

"Of course we have. Aerrow nabbed it from the Forbidden City after he set the oracle free." Finn explained, leaning on his head into his hand.

Taking in a deep breath, Starling started towards the table. "It happened a few days after Aerrow was born. While the Storm Hawks were investigating an incident upon Terra Xoam, the Oracle appeared to his father and wingman." Coming to a halt before the table, Starling glanced down at the photos still upon the table.

Piper felt her heart in her throat. The idea of the oracle seeking out a person was almost unheard of, except in legends. "What…did it say to them?" she questioned, though it was hard to find her voice.

The photo of the original Storm Hawks sat before Starling, making it almost difficult to think. It all seemed like a horrible nightmare that no one wanted to re-live. And yet, the words seemed to spill from her lips almost flawlessly:

'…_The son of the legendary sky knight will fall into a darkness he cannot return from. Becoming prey to the world of the enemy, all of Atmos will fall by his hand. Only light can drawn him back to bring balance once more.'_

The room fell deathly silent at the words. It was as if every last bit of air had been sucked from them, leaving no possible way to respond to the words. "So, you're saying that this was supposed to happen?" Finn questioned, trying to comprehend everything that had been said.

"Did you honestly want to believe that you couldn't be a true squadron because of your age?" Starling could feel herself loosing her train of thought. Though emotions were something she was normally very good at hiding, there was just something about these memories that made her loose herself. "The counsel and every sky knight from the war made an oath to try and keep Aerrow from Cyclonian contact. But we knew it wouldn't last forever. He is his fath—"

Piper slammed her hands to the table, silencing the knight before she could finish. "So you lied to us? To Aerrow?! You never once even attempted to tell him the truth?" she screamed, her body now trembling with rage.

But Starling shook her head, "We swore to keep this from him until he was seventeen. When we thought—"

"Thought what?! When he could have handled it?" Piper's voice now in a shout, with no attempt to even try and control herself in sight. Finn, Junko, Stork, and Radarr were now all on their feet as well, glaring at the knight. Though they didn't speak a word, their looks said it all. Every single one of them agreed with the girl's words. "Aerrow has defeated the Dark Ace!" she continued, "and even—"

"You never even bothered to look at the rest of the photograph, did you?" Starling roared over the hysterical young woman, silencing her. Reaching down to the table, the violet-haired knight pushed forward the group shot of the squadron once more. "You never even bothered to see who the wingman was!"

Glancing down at the photo, every single Storm Hawk let their eyes widen and jaws drop. There, beside Aerrow and his father was a familiar face. He was younger, for the familiar spiky black hair was a bit shorter. He wore a simple uniform, the symbol of the Stork Hawks on the right of his chest. There was a very casual smile upon his face as he too was laughing and enjoying the time before it all came to an end. But behind the happy expression, were the same piercing eyes that every single one of the team had come to hate and fear.

"The…Dark Ace?" Junko muttered, the first to break the silence. "He was a Storm Hawk?"

Letting a sigh leave her lips, Starling could only nod. "The wingman to Aerrow's father…and his best friend. Ace was almost like a second father to Aerrow…and yet he betrayed them, leading the Talons to the home terra of the Storm Hawks."

* * *

The rest of the conversation became one massive blur to Piper. She would catch the occasion words from the older woman, hearing how that monster of a man could once be considered one of the best original members of the Storm Hawks and how he would have given anything to protect Aerrow. She didn't want to believe it. There was no way any of it was true.

Before she even realized what had happened, she was being told to head out to the runway to make sure that there would be space for all of the squadron's bikes. Despite hearing the words 'Are you okay?' being spoken to her, Piper could only nod in response. There was so much moving through her head at that very moment, she wouldn't have been able to answer them even if she wanted to. The thought of prophecies and back stabbing was all too much for her to try and take in.

She moved into the empty halls of the Condor, letting herself to follow her own train of thought. All she knew was that Aerrow was gone. It didn't matter to her that he had attacked her and the others. She knew that it wasn't him. There was something seriously wrong with him and it smelled of Cyclonis through and through. But none of that mattered anymore.

Before she even realized where she had been moving to. Letting herself focus on the area around her, she let the cool air from outside send a chill up her spin. A full moon hung over a rolling cloud-filled sky. The horizon was trimmed with the sights of distant terras, lights from tiny distant towns could be seen throughout the thicket of clouds. The starlit sky and moon almost seemed to reflect off the silver cloud's surface, making it look like a lake of some kind. The breeze kissed Piper's face lightly as she stood upon the landing strip of the Condor. She felt his hair sway and mess itself in the breeze, but she didn't even attempt to fix or adjust it. Her gaze averted to her boots, trying not to be lost in the beauty that surrounded her. There was too much to take in all at once.

Her thoughts were becoming louder within her own mind, 'I don't see how we could not have known this about Aerrow. He's our leader. My best friend. How could I not see it…that he was someone so much more special than just some kid? I feel like such an idiot.'

Reaching up to about her neck, Piper let her fingers grace her necklace. The crystal was cool to the touch from the night air. 'But,' she paused and looked forward into the night sky. It was a thought that she had almost lost complete thought of. Something that she knew connected her and Aerrow together for what seemed like an eternity ago.

* * *

'_How long are you gonna lay around?" her young voice questioned, annoyance etched on every word. Piper and Aerrow had taken up to playing in the surrounding woods of Atmosia. Though the elders and knights had warned them about wandering off with all the wild animals about, they still refused to listen. Their favorite spot had become a large oak tree that overlooked one of the lakes upon the terra. It was a breath-taking view, for the horizon seemed to stretch out forever on a good clear day. Somewhat tall grass covered the hillside up until it hit the edge of the lake, making it seem almost like a dream._

'_Well, do you want to do something?' Aerrow inquired, sitting up from underneath the large tree._

_The girl lowered herself down so that she was almost nose-to-nose with him. 'I want you to come with me to look for some crystals! I overheard one of the elders say that there were some new formations around the lake, and I wanna see them before the grown-ups do. And I don't wanna do it alone!' she explained._

_Aerrow looked at her with a strange look upon his face. '...Why do you want me to go?' _

'_Because,' she giggled, 'The last time Finn came with me, he broke all my crystals before we even made it back home. I think you and Radarr are a bit better with this kinda stuff.'_

_Nodding, Aerrow rose to his feet. Radarr's ears perked up at his friend's actions, knowing that they were about to set off somewhere new. Piper watched as he dusted off his clothes, trying to get rid of some of the grass and leaves that had collected themselves upon him. Smiling a bit, he held out the tiny hand to her own. 'Okay! We have a mission!'_

_Piper raised an eyebrow at him, 'A…mission?'_

'_Get those crystals before any evil Cyclonians get to them first!' he told boldly, Radarr chirping in excitement from his shoulder. _

_Before the girl could respond with an answer, the red head took hold of her hand. With one swift tug, they were off down the hillside, picking up speed at their tiny legs tried desperately to defy gravity. As the moved, the duo broke out into laughter, trying to keep up with one another. The tall grass of the hillside brushed on their bare arms, nearly consuming them from sight._

_As they sprinted closer to the water, Piper reached up to grab the young boy's shoulder. 'Hey Aerrow,' she started, causing him to slow down to a stop. _

_Looking over his shoulder, he met her gaze. 'Yeah?' _

'_I was wondering,' she paused letting go of his hand, 'if I was ever lost and I needed a hero to save me, would you be that hero?' _

_Smiling back at the five-year-old-girl, Aerrow nodded. 'You bet Piper! You're my best friend. I would never let anything happen to you!' _

_The girl returned the grin. She leapt into the boy's arms with a laugh. 'You're so great! Just like I would expect you to be! I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you either!' _

'_Thanks,' Aerrow blushed, unsure of if he should return the hug or not. 'Oh! I just remembered!' he exclaimed, causing Piper to withdraw. Standing back near the water's edge, the girl watched as Aerrow reached into his pocket. Within a few moments, he withdrew his hand in a tight fist. Holding it up, he let his fingers re-open. Piper's eyes widened in shock. There, dancing in the late afternoon sunlight was a crystal on a thin leather cord. It seemed like a simple stone enough; Silver with the smallest hint of blue within its core. The girl had never seen anything of the sort on Atmosia before, making her face light up with joy._

"_Oh wow Aerrow! It's so pretty!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together._

"_I found it. Since you like crystals so much, I thought you might like it." Taking a step to move behind her, Aerrow quickly placed the stone about her neck, tying the leather cord. "Think of it as a thank you present."_

"_Thank you present?" Piper questioned, turning around to face him._

_Smiling as a light breeze picked up, Aerrow let his bangs blow in his face. "You've been there for me Piper. Ever since I came here, you always have been really nice to me, even when I didn't like to talk too much. You are a great friend and I never wanna loose you. I'll always be there fore you. No matter what." A large smile crossed his face, causing Piper's face to grow warm. "Thank you Piper."_

_Placing a hand to her necklace, the girl let her reddening face remain in view of the boy. She didn't try to hide it as she returned the smile. "You're welcome Aerrow."_

* * *

Piper clung to the necklace tightly as the memory almost seemed to fade back into the darkness of her mind. Everything seemed like such a long time ago now. It was all so different. Aerrow was gone and it felt as if a piece of herself was gone as well. She could feel a small trail of tears begin down her face as clung to the charm about her neck. Despite how much she wanted to keep it together, it felt as if every ounce of her strength was gone.

"Aerrow," she spoke softly, letting her tears fall faster now. She closed her eyes, trying to take in a deep breath to calm her oncoming sobs. This wasn't her. Piper knew that. She was much stronger than this, yet she felt herself coming apart. All she wanted was to be able see Aerrow again and to feel him close to her. It was that smile of his that always let her know that things would be okay.

Attempting one more deep breath in, Piper let the cool night air fill up her lungs. It seemed to help calm her tears slightly as she glanced back out at the late night sky. She knew that there was nothing more she could do but try to help out once the sky knights and their squadrons arrived. She was the second in command to Aerrow and now was the time that she needed to be the strongest she had ever been.

The wind blew her hair into her eyes, making her move them from her eyes. "I will bring you back to me. That day, we made a promise. That if I was in trouble, you would come and save me." A smile formed as she felt the tears becoming faster now. There, off in the distance, were nearly twenty-five skimmers, all of the friendly nature, approaching the Condor. "There is no more time to be weak. You are never weak." Clutching the necklace within her fingers, she let the tears fall onto her hand. "This time…I'll be the hero. If it means that I can have you here with me again…then I will do whatever it takes."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** And...cue the next five epic chapters ahead! I promise you some major twists. Some major turns. And who knows what else! Hope you enjoyed this installment.

Don't forget to read and review!

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	14. Rise and Fall

**Author's Notes:** Wow...didn't expect to update so soon. But this chapter was kinda waiting to be posted for a while. I won't say anything else except...ENJOY!!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

Rise and Fall

* * *

Never in the time of the new Storm Hawks had there ever been a gathering of other squadrons like this within the Condor's walls. The sky knights from the entire southern quadrant had gathered within the bridge of the ship, awaiting the beginning of the meeting with Starling and the rest of the Storm Hawks. For some of the knights, this was not the first time within the walls of the legendary ship. Whether it was with the new squadron or the old, it almost seemed to bring back fond memories of times that didn't seem so bad.

"Thank you for coming everyone," Starling's voice called over the low murmurs of the teams. The former leader of the Interceptors stood within the main doorway of the bridge, the small team of Storm Hawks behind her. Every single one of the normally lively team and become stone-faced, almost attempting to avoid eye-contact with the older knights.

They stepped into the room, heading towards the large round table. Every person moved up to the table as well, knowing that it was time to begin the meeting. "As you all know, this is not how we expected to meet. Especially so soon." Starling continued, placing her hands to the table before her. "But as I told in my transmission. The prophecy has come true. Earlier this evening, Aerrow not only attacked his comrades but left for Cyclonia."

Nodding at the words, Harrier was the first to speak. "What exactly happened that brought this on? Was there any events that occurred before he just left?"

Taking in a deep breath, Piper crossed her arms, "He had gotten sick after we had found the original base of the first Storm Hawks. We found him in the woods after he had gotten into a fight with the Dark Ace. It was only a few hour later that he just suddenly passed out right here. That's when all the problems started." She explained, keeping her eyes locked upon the table before her.

At the mention of the Dark Ace's name, very knight leaned in to the conversation more. They became tense and stiff, knowing that there was never anything good attached to the man's name. "Probably tryin' to convince Aerrow to return to Cyclonia, eh?" Suzi-lu told, her voice bitter at the thought.

Stork was the first to interject to the statement, "Impossible." The Merb, though standing behind Starling, suddenly became the center of attention. "He was far too shaken up when we found him. Although," his voice trailed off suddenly, letting himself go off into his own train of thought.

Glancing over her shoulder, Starling glared to the pilot. "Although what Stork? What is it?" It was then that she noticed that every single one of the Storm Hawks were eying each other. All of them seemed to be coming to the same conclusion very quickly, though the words weren't there."

"Well," Finn spoke, looking to the knights, "He was pretty beaten up after we found him. There were some strange burn marks on his chest and his clothes were singed." Crossing his arms to match Piper's stance, the blond shook his head, "But by the time we had got him back to the Condor, they were gone."

"But he kept grabbing his chest, remember?" Junko told, letting the thoughts come faster. "Like it was bothering him a lot."

Starling was now facing them completely, eyes narrowed at them. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

Finn shrugged, "Hey. We didn't think of it as anything! Aerrow said he was fine!"

"Learn this really quickly Finn," Starling glared, causing the blond to back up slightly. "Sky Knights will always pretend that things are okay. Just to get people off of their backs." Turning back to the rest of the sky knights, she re-took her leaning stance. "Have there been any intelligence reports?"

It was now the newer sky knight to speak. His blue hair was short and incredibly spiky as he had on the uniform of the Red Eagles. He was young, there was no doubting that; most likely in his late twenties. Piercing gold eyes locked with Starling, giving a small salute to her.

"Sky Knight Locke," he told the room boldly, causing Starling to nod for him to continue on. "According to the inside man we sent in, Master Cyclonis had been working intensely on a new project for the past few months. He didn't managed to actually get to see the crystal itself, but he overheard the rest of the Talons mention it."

Piper's ears suddenly perked at the mention of a crystal. "What did they say?"

Looking at Piper, Locke continued, "She was calling it a Controller. According to the report, the stone is said to have the power over a person's free-will. She can take over everything from their movements to their thoughts."

Lighting had just struck the girl's thoughts, letting her eyes widen in shock. Piper slapped her head with her palm. "How could I have been so stupid!?"

Harrier raised an eyebrow at the girl's strange reaction to the words. "What on earth is the issue here?" he inquired, his pompous nature shining through crystal clear on every word spoken.

"Don't you see? It was so obvious." Piper exclaimed. Looking about the room, she only received blank stares of question. "Crystals that are placed into a human's body without being tested thoroughly first can cause some major side-effects. sickness being the major ones but there can be other things. Aerrow's body must have reacted to a crystal." She stopped, her expression becoming serious. "…that crystal Cyclonis must have been working on."

Starling's face lit up at the words. "Piper! You are a genius." She whirled about to the rest of the knights, gaining the same shocked reaction as her own. "This is perfect. We can work with this." Glancing about the table, Starling leaned in slightly, a smile gracing her once serious face. "I think I have a plan of attack that we can not only take care of some Talons, but great Aerrow back to us."

* * *

The Dark Ace stood beside the throne of Master Cyclonis. He had left Aerrow in the hands of some of the woman's servants who were to give him his new uniform and clean him up from being ill. There had been no conversation between him and the younger man, though deep down, he only wished to have some time to speak with him. Though even an attempt of conversation with Aerrow would have lead no where and quickly. According to Cyclonis, the Controller was within its final stage of syncing into his system. He would be able to openly speak soon without having her to pull the strings.

Though he was thrilled to have Aerrow as a member of his squadron, he could still hear his best friend's voice echoing within his thoughts. He had thought that there was no longer any connection to the man anymore, just knowing that Aerrow knew the truth made every ounce of his own memories come back to haunt him. There would be flashes of faces and times where he was once again with his old squadron. And despite his now place of power, deep within his mind, a small piece of him wanted to see them once more.

"Master Cyclonis," the words of a servant brought the man back from his thoughts. The two had their thoughts brought back to attention as a young woman of sixteen gave a small curtsey to the ruler and man. "Presenting: Sky Knight Aerrow."

Looking up to the door, the two Cyclonians were nearly taken back from the sight before them. Aerrow was no longer the simple, scruffy-looking Storm Hawk. A solid black uniform with knee high boots were barely visible from underneath a heavy leather trench coat. Trimmed in a thin strip of red, brand new silver armor clung to his shoulders and hips, shimmering in the low light. Tight leather gloves covered his hands, two smaller plates of armor wrapping about his fingers. Upon the upper right part of his chest was the crest of the Talon squadron. The handles of his weapons could be seen upon his back, red crystals now replacing the blue ones from before. His hair was still the same, his now bright red eyes narrowed and focused upon the two.

Coming to a halt before the throne once more, Aerrow took a knee. His coat flared out behind him, landing gracefully in an outstretch manner upon the floor. "Master Cyclonis. Dark Ace. I await your orders." His voice had deepened, though was still soft.

Stepping forward, Dark Ace moved to stand before the boy. As Aerrow rose to his feet, he couldn't help but smile. The young boy that he had once watch grow up was now fulfilling what the oracle had proclaimed for him. Not even all of the memories in his entire lifetime were enough to keep him from feeling somewhat proud. Reaching out, he placed a hand to Aerrow's shoulder, nodding to the appearance.

"You were born to be a Talon, Aerrow." He muttered, letting red eyes meet identical ones.

Returning the grin, Aerrow's eyes narrowed slightly. "I know. It was what the oracle had foreseen. Born to serve the Master…as her knight."

"You are correct Aerrow," Master Cyclonis' voice called, forcing the Dark Ace to turn. The woman had risen from her throne, the Controller Crystal now perched within her staff in her hands. She slowly began to move towards the two men, watching them carefully. "You are my rightful knight. You were born to be as such." Letting her eyes gaze over to the older man, she smiled slightly. "You have served your role, Dark Ace. But I'm afraid your time….is up."

A sharp pain rushed through the man's chest, a gasp quickly escaping him. He could feel his body grow tense as the sensation of something dug into his side. Master Cyclonis' expression turned into a twisted grin. The woman he had tried to please for so many years just simple sat herself back into her throne, crossing her legs in a relaxed fashion. Every gasp for air he took was becoming harder by the minute as he turned to once more look at Aerrow.

The red head had moved in slightly, one of his blades unsheathed from his back. He was low as he had both hands to the handle, making sure to dig into his victim with as much force as he could. Aerrow made no eye contact with him, though the faintest smile could be seen on the corner of his lips.

"Nothing personal Ace," he spoke softly, letting himself look up, "but its time for the real knight to step up."

The Dark Ace felt his shirt slowly becoming stained with warm blood as his skin grew colder with each passing second. "Aer…row.." he mustered out, feeling his legs giving out from the lack of blood It was as if the world about him slowly began to slow around him as he sank before the younger man, though now the more powerful figure between the two of them. He felt the blade slide out from his body and back into the hands of his owner.

It was a brief glance as he fell to the floor. For a moment, the man could have sworn he saw a flicker in Aerrow's eyes at the mention of his name. The deep shade of red seemed to vanish for a moment, revealing the same vibrate green eyes that he has shared with his mother. The young knight moved away from him, his hand slowly finding his brow. He shook his head slightly, as if trying to shake away a headache.

"Aerrow…" he breathed out, seeing the young man's green gaze on him once more. "You…are no better…than me."

"Guards," Cyclonis' voice echoed as everything slowly began to fade to black. "Take Ace to the dungeons. Leave him there to rot. My knight and I have a few plans to make."

Aerrow felt himself stagger slightly at the words. Bringing his hands to his face, he could feel a hot burning sensation running through his head and into his chest. Through his fingers, he could see the image of two guards pulling away the limp body of the Dark Ace. His blade was still clenched within his fingers, blood covering the steal, small droplets falling to the dark marble floor beneath him.

Suddenly, a soft touch came to his shoulder, causing Aerrow to straighten up. Cyclonis placed her staff before him, the brilliant violet shine of stone hitting his face, drenching him within the light. It was only a minute before the pain began to slow and calm, bringing him back to his normal stern position.

"There we are Aerrow," she muttered as she watched him straighten up as he felt the light engulf him. "We mustn't have you returning to what you once were. After all," she gently reached up to him, letting her hand slowly run down the side of his face. For a brief moment, she couldn't help but admire the fact that she had managed to let her plans fall into line. "You are my sky knight. And only mine. Just as it was foreseen."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** ...Yeah. Sorry about that. But I hope you all enjoyed that! Don't forget to read and review.

* * *


	15. Final Preparations

**Author's Notes: **There is nothing worse than being sick with food poisoning. But allows for me to sit and think about how I want to start this part. Ah yes. The gears are turning and the plot bunnies are here to stay. So, enough chit chat! On with the show.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

Missions

Starling moved quickly throughout the corridors of the Condor. Everything was in place for the attack on Cyclonia. The squadrons were prepped and the skimmers and weapons loaded with whatever they would need. Junko and Stork were fine tuning the final mechanical aspects of the Condor with Radarr in tow. But there were two things that were very out of place amongst the prep for the battle.

Finn had kept to helping calibrate the shooting radius of every gun and crossbow that he could get his hands on. Although it didn't seem strange for the rest of the outside squadrons, the woman knew better. Finn was never that intent on fixing or working in general. But ever since that talk she had given the team about Aerrow's ties to the Dark Ace, he had kept to himself. Starling had spotted him within the hanger, sitting there upon his skimmer. Even though it was for a few moments, there was a look in his eyes that she had never seen before in the usually blond. There was determination within his blue eyes. He just stared straight ahead, letting his icy stare look out to the night skies of Atmos.

Just by seeing that look, Starling knew exactly what he was thinking about. Aerrow was one of the first real friends that Finn ever had. Like Piper, the three of them lived together on Atmosia for a good amount of time. And it was in those years that they had become closer than ever. But now, his friend had attacked him and deserted the team. Granted, Finn understood that it was not really Aerrow's actions, but it must have sent a shockwave through his system. Starling just knew that it was the thought of actually having to fight his best friend was something he did not want to do.

Piper on the other hand had become a different story. Once she had received her assignment from Starling, the girl locked herself up in her lab. Granted, she knew that there would have to be absolute concentration for her to create the crystals needed for this. And yet there seemed to be more to it than that. Piper was one of the strongest girls she had ever met, which was only to be expected with being around guys twenty-four hours a day. But once Aerrow had left, something seemed to have broken within her. She did was she needed to do, but there was something missing.

Coming to a halt before the crystal specialist's lab, Starling quickly knocked without a moment's hesitation. There was a moment of silence before the muffled 'Come in' was heard from the other side of the door.

"Piper?" She began, letting herself peer inside as the door threw itself opened. It was the first time that the sky knight had ever seen the girl's lab before. For a moment, she stood and took in the all of the crates of crystals stored neatly along one wall, with one massive workbench covering some of them. On the other side of the room, it looked more like a library, for there were tons of maps, books, and other such things scattered about a smaller desk. Busts of the famous Atmosian explorers were on a shelf just above the desk, all organized by date and time period.

And there, sitting on her bed, was Piper. The girl had her elbows resting upon her knees, hunched over staring at the floor. Her blue hair covered her line of sight from the other woman as one of her hands gently played with the crystal about her neck.

Stepping out of the doorframe, the woman let herself in. "Piper, are the blockers we asked for ready?" she questioned, trying to keep a level head and emotions out of the conversation.

Looking up at the woman, the girl let her eyes connect to Starling's. The normal orange eyes that were so vibrate were now slightly pink, a few stray tears still lingering upon the corners. Letting herself blink a few times, Piper quickly brought her arm up to try and rid her face of the small droplets. "Y—yeah. They're on my workbench." She told, gesturing to a small box upon the wooden table.

"We should be entering Cyclonian territory soon." Starling explained, moving to grab the small crate of crystals. "You should probably—" She stopped, letting her eyes meet something upon the desk. Amongst the crystals and various tools, there was a small picture frame hidden near the wall. It was made from various spare metals, almost looking like something homemade. The glass on the front was slightly dirty from crystal dust, but it was still clear enough to see the image within.

It was a group shot of all the Storm Hawks. They all seemed to be celebrating, for each one of the familiar faces wore large smiles. Junko held up what looked like some strange kind of food in his hand, his big grin stained with a little bit of what looked like ketchup. Finn gave his standard 'pointing at the camera' look, attempting to be somewhat dashing for anyone who would even dare to care. Stork seemed to be less than thrilled, though there was still a hint of a happy expression upon the Merb's face. Radarr was in front of them all, jumping into the shot as if he were about to miss it.

And in the middle of it all was Piper and Aerrow. The girl stood close to the knight, almost leaning up against him to fit into the picture. The red head had the simplest of smiles on his face as one of his arms wrapped about Piper's shoulders, keeping her close to him. His face was slightly flushed as he looked at the camera, his green eyes filled with joy.

"It was the day Aerrow was knighted." Piper's voice spoke, breaking the woman's concentration on the photo. Looking up, Starling was surprised to see that the girl had left her spot upon her bed and now stood beside her. She too, was looking at the photograph. "The day that we were officially a team. It was kinda a big deal, so we took a picture." She smiled a bit at the memory, letting her gaze come to Starling's. "I was so happy for him. It was just what he wanted."

Looking back to the photo, Starling looked carefully at the two again. "…I know this is going to be hard for you Piper." She started, biting at her lip slightly. "But there is no other way to-"

"I already said that I will do whatever it takes to bring him back," Piper quickly cut her off, her voice sharp like a knife. "You don't have to remind me."

But the knight shook her head, "Piper, I know that you really care for Aerrow." The girl turned to try and cut her off, but she quickly held up a hand to silence her. "And not just as a knight and friend….a lot more than just that."

Piper could only stand in silence at the comment. Her cheeks grew warm at the words, causing Starling to smile slightly at her. There was no way to hide what she was feeling at the moment. She let her face fluster and her heart race at the words she had spoken. Placing a hand up to her necklace, Piper let a sigh escape her.

"Aerrow has just…always been there for me Starling," she spoke softly, avoiding eye contact with the older woman. "He gave me my necklace. He is just…everything to me. But I know he probably doesn't feel the same about me. I'm just his best friend."

Taking hold of the crate in her hands, Starling quickly lifted them with a small grunt, slicing the tension swiftly. Adjusting her grip on the handles, she stared Piper straight in the eye, letting her smile grow. "Don't tell me this Piper. Tell it to Aerrow once he comes back."

Watching as Starling headed for the door, Piper could only let the words hit her. She knew that she was right. That Aerrow would come back to them. The plan was fool-proof and with the blocker crystals she had refined, it would be enough to stop the effects of the stone that had been used on him. And then, she could tell him everything. Stealing a glance to the picture again, Piper let a smile find her. Quickly taking up her staff, she headed out of her room and off to the hanger.

* * *

The throne room of the Cyclonian castle had become a central point for a strategy meeting. Every general and high-ranking officer within the Talon forces had gathered before the young ruler, bringing forth their own news of the situation. They knew that the sky knights were moving and that a plan of action was necessary. The soldiers stood before the woman and her newly appointed knight, all giving their own views and reports on their current situation.

"According to a team of scouts," one general spoke up, his eyes focused upon a sheet of paper within his hands, "The Condor and a small fleet of other sky knight carriers were seen crossing our south-western border. That was roughly five hours ago."

Another man, seemingly older, stepped forward. He had his own sets of messages and papers as well within his hands. "They are being lead by Starling of the Interceptors as well as the Storm Hawks. Their fleet will be here within the hour." He explained, giving a small bow once he finished.

Master Cyclonis leaned back into her chair, taking in all of information given to her. Within her hand, she still held to her staff. The stone within its clutches emitted a low violet glow, a hint of red lingering throughout. Her eyes narrowed, letting all of the thoughts sink in. "So, they are coming to claim back what is rightfully mine." She muttered, too quiet enough for the other's to hear.

Glancing to her side, Cyclonis looked to her knight. Aerrow was kneeling beside her chair, his head lowered deep to his chest. From what she could tell, the young man was merely resting. She knew from previous tests she had done before the final crystal was finished, it drained the puppet to exhausted states. He was as still as a statue; awaiting for her next command. From what she could see of his eyes, Aerrow seemed incredibly focused, though the red slowly had begun to fade back into green.

_Looking up before him, a flash of light illuminated the darkness. Aerrow let his eyes flinch slightly to the brightness, though it did not last long. The image before him made his eyes widen and face fluster. There, eyes locked with his own, was a girl. She had the most beautiful colored skin, smooth and flawless to the very last inch. Deep blue hair only seemed to make her bright orange eyes illuminate within the darkness. There was a small smile upon her lips as she let her hands link together. She started towards him slowly, letting her hands move behind her. _

"_Who…are you?" He muttered, taking a step towards her. "What do you want?" _

"_Don't know remember me?" Her voice called out, though Aerrow could only raise an eyebrow to her. "You're only my best friend." _

_The girl was finally close enough to take up his hands in her own. The young knight could see that her cheeks were pink as she let herself move close to him. Her touch was warm, letting herself fall into a tight embrace within his arms. Everything seemed too perfect. Her hair was soft as he placed his chin atop her head, letting himself fall into the moment._

"_I wish I could…remember you…"_

_A soft chuckle came once more, forcing Aerrow's eyes to open. "That's enough of that." Looking down at her once more, he could see the girl suddenly grow stiff in his hold, her eyes rolling back into her head. A small trickle of blood fell from the corner of her lips as she became limp and cold._

_Aerrow couldn't find the words to react. He wanted to call out her name, to try desperately to get her to say something to him. And yet, all he could do was watch as her lifeless body began to vanish from his hold. Slowly, she faded back into the darkness, leaving the young man alone once more alone._

"_Keep your mind focused on your mission, Aerrow." Cyclonis' voice called out to him, tensing his muscles. _

Lifting his head, Aerrow found himself kneeling beside the throne of Master Cyclonis. Every general had their eyes upon him; looks of disgust upon each of their faces. Looking to his side, he could see his master upon her feet, her staff glowing a familiar light across his being. Slowly, he rose to his feet, knowing that it was the proper thing to do once his master had looked at him.

"Yes Master Cyclonis?" he asked, keeping his head low in a bow.

Smiling up at him, the young woman came to her feet. "We are to allow the Storm Hawks into the palace. Let them come and try to reclaim what they lost." She spoke boldly to the rest of the room. Bringing up a hand, she let her fingers brush against Aerrow's cheek, bringing his eyes to meet hers. "I want my knight to play with his enemy. Test the waters with some of his…new abilities."

Aerrow smiled, letting the woman brush his bangs from his face. "Bring down the Storm Hawks?" he muttered, seeing Cyclonis smile at his words. "It would be an honor to spill their blood for you." He took up the woman's hand swiftly from his face, giving it a small kiss.

Cyclonis smiled at the action and words, "Excellent. Then we understand what needs to be done." Looking out to her generals once more, she gave her twisted grin. "Go. Prepare your squadrons for battle. You can have the rest of the sky knights. But the Storm Hawks belong to Aerrow. Understood?"

"Yes Master." The men all spoke in unison, giving a deep bow to her.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** And now its getting easier to write this. I know what exactly going to happen after this. Oh dear. Anyways. Don't forget to read and review!


	16. Infiltrating Cyclonia

**Author's Notes:** HEY EVERYONE! I'm alive...sorta. My last couple of weeks have been REALLY swamped with moving out from school, weddings, dying from food poisoning, and anime conventions abound! But, here we are. This is another small bit before the final fight. (which is taking me forever and a day to write out because its just gonna be MAD CRAZY.) But I hope you guys enjoy this little chapter. Next one will be twice as epic.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Infiltrating Cyclonia

The plan was simple. While the other squadron's distracted the Cyclonian fleets, Starling and the rest of the Storm Hawks would go in low to enter the palace. That way, it would be a small team to try and hunt out their comrade. Stork and Radarr were to remain with the Condor, knowing that he would serve as a great distraction to the enemy. In the Merb's opinion, he wouldn't have wanted to go with them anyways. Taking the skimmers, they would be able to get into the air shafts without too much problem. If they could fit the Condor like their last visit, then there would be no issues here.

* * *

Starling took the lead while Finn was on point. Junko with Piper on the back of his ride brought up the rear equally, keeping their eyes locked about for any kind of attack that might be looming within the closer of the Cyclonian tunnels. So far, everything seemed to be going according to plan. The Absolute Zeros, Rex Guardians, and Red Eagles were able to keep the attention of the Talons long enough for their skimmers to reach under the cloud line of the palace. Luckily, it appeared that the Talons did not learn their lesson from the last encounter with the Storm Hawks. Every grate and patch was still uncovered, allowing for the team to make their way in without too much issue.

The knight was first to push back the floor grating of the palace. Letting herself slowly edge her way up, she could get a clear view of where exactly the team had entered. There didn't seem to be too many people about. Whatever available men must have been put out on the field to try and hold back the attack. The hallways were narrow and held a dank air about them. It was too dark for her to see any further than a few feet in front of him, but what she could hear, Starling knew that there was no instant issues.

"The cost is clear," she muttered down to the rest of the team, hoisting herself out of the hole. Making sure that the metal cover was out of the way of being hit by anyone else, the remaining people followed behind.

Piper squinted into the darkness as she took hold of Finn's hand to help her up. "Sure is creepy," she muttered, trying to get a bearing of her surroundings.

"This is Cyclonia, Piper," Finn commented as he removed his crossbow from his back. "What did you expect? Bunny rabbits and rainbows?"

"I wouldn't mind that," Junko chimed in, being the last one threw the opening. "Would really balance out the evilly feeling this place gives off."

Starling glared about quickly, disliking the feeling of the crushing darkness around them. "Someone quickly get a light out."

Taking her staff firmly in her hands, Piper smiled. "Leave that to me." Reaching into her side pouch, the girl quickly rummaged for the correct crystal. She had learned from past missions to always have plenty of different styles of stones with her at all times, just in case of the strangest emergencies. After all the incidents with Terra Neon, the retrieving of the frozen yogurt and just about any other mission they had been on, she knew that there were multiple things to be expected. After about a minute or so, the girl withdrew a small stone and placed it into the tip of her staff.

A burst of brilliant white light exploded from the end of the stick. The warm light filled the hallway completely, making the end very visible. The group had come in through what looked like the boiler room. Large black pipes ran along the ceiling, moving in every single direction possible. Along the walls, multiple crystal generators sat, the sounds of them turning and moving echoing in a dull hum throughout the room.

As she held her weapon up, Piper stepped up in front of the group. "According to the maps and schematics of the building, the main hallway of the palace is directly above us. That is that door at the very end of the hallway and up five flights of stairs."

Starling nodded as she withdrew her weapon from her back. "Alright then. Let's move before we're found. Stay on guard. We don't know what exactly we'll find."

"Right," The teens answered in unison. The sounds of the weapons being loaded and activated echoed throughout as they took off toward the door with a quickened pace.

For the first fifteen minutes, there was nothing but one darkened corridor after another. Not so much as a single guard, look out, or rat could be seen as the team moved silently throughout the lowest levels of Cyclonia. As much as they looked for words to speak to another, they knew it was better not to speak. Starling and Piper were at point, letting the girl light the way with her staff. It seemed like a right choice, until Starling held up her fist to call them to a halt.

"What's wrong Starling?" Finn questioned, glancing up ahead to wear she stopped. "Why aren't we moving?"

But before the woman could answer, the blond saw it. It was a large rounded steel door, much bigger than anyone on the team. It was bolted shut, a large steel beam crossed over it. No signs or labels could be seen as to where it lead, though it seemed too thick to be anything normal.

Placing her hand to the cool steel, the knight leaned in. She placed her ear against it, trying to pick up any form of sound or vibration through the metal. "From the looks of it," she spoke softly, grabbing the teens attention, "This must be the prison block back entrance."

Smiling, Junko strolled up to the door. "You just leave this to the Wallop." Cracking his knuckles as if she were a pianist about to place a complex piece, Junko threw his fists together, activating his knucklebusters. He lunged forward, throwing all of his force into taking hold of the door. Within what seemed like only a few moments, it opened slightly. Feeling the other's stared come down upon him, the Wallop gave a sheepish grin. "See? No problem!"

Finn shook his head with a grin. Coming up beside the shocked sky knight, he placed his elbow to her shoulder. "See Starling? Always leave the big stuff to the Wallop."

Shooting a glare to the blond, the woman could only roll her eyes. "Yes well. Shall we continue then?"

Junko moved quickly to pull the massive steel door back. An eerie scent and darkness welcomed them as they entered slowly, letting Piper's staff illuminate the area before them. Strange lights glowing green and yellow came from crystals that lined the walls. Every three feet or so, small cell-like out coves had been craved out, thick steel bars covering over the openings. There were no prisoners that could be seen within the dull light, making the air fill with a strange uneasiness. "From the looks of it," Piper whispered, moving up beside Starling, "We're in the prison. This is where most of the captured sky knights and squadrons are held. Or even traitors to Master Cyclonis herself."

Glancing slowly into one of the empty cells, Junko let a shiver run down his spin. "This place is like a scene from one of those really old horror movies." he told, trying not to sound too frightened.

"I'm just expecting something to start moaning or groaning and a zombie will suddenly appear and try to eat my brain or something," Finn told, his playful grin illuminated within the dim light..

A low moan came from one of the darker parts of the jail. The team reacted quickly, withdrawing their weapons towards the noise. Turning her staff towards the noise, Piper and the others felt complete shock rush through their systems. There, against the wall, was a figure within the shadows. His black and wild hair hung over his face as he dangled by his chains. His uniform was that of a Talon, though every piece of armor had been removed and it looked shredded. Though it seemed hard to tell, he was breathing, though his skin had become a deathly shade of white as sweat covered him head to toe. There was the faintest scent of blood in the air as the sounds of the metal clattered and moved slightly.

"No way," Finn muttered, leaning into the bars for a better look. "Is that…who I think it is?"

Starling was to the door within a heartbeat. Activating her weapon, a swift slash of violet filled the darkened area, though vanished as the sound of steel breaking and clattering echoed. The lock upon the cell was quickly destroyed, the door slowly moving opened upon its own free will. Throwing her weapon back onto her back, the violet haired woman burst her way into the cell, towards the heap of an unconscious man.

Junko let a gulp escape him as he sunk down behind Finn. "She seems pretty mad." He muttered, his glance trying to sneak a look at what she was doing.

"Piper! Bring the light in here!" Starling's voice echoed, bringing the girl's head back to the matter at hand. Holding up her staff out, she moved into the cell, letting the crystal's glow illuminate the area.

Though she could feel Junko and Finn's presence beside her, she couldn't take her gaze from the sight before her. The limp figure of the Dark Ace was chained up against the wall. A large gash was square within his chest, blood still seemingly flowing freely to his torn clothing. And yet, kneeling beside him was Starling. The young knight did not flatter as she leaned over him, examining the wounds gently. Her lips were moving, though her words could not be heard by the team. But Piper could see it in Starling's eyes; the worry and strange look of concern.

Looking up from the man, Starling's gaze came back to the young crystal expert, "Piper, your healers. I need one now."

"Hold up!" Finn's voice interrupted, "You want to…help him?! He's the Dark Ace! Ya know…the whole reason we're in this situation!"

Piper nodded in agreement. "He's the reason that Aerrow is now here. The reason he was sick and the reason that everything has happened. There is no way I am helping him!"

But Starling shook her head, "If he dies, we can't find out any information on what is wrong with Aerrow. We need him to at least be coherent to tell us where to find him." She paused, letting her eyes fall back to the other knight, "After that, you can leave him to rot here in this cell."

Finn let a glare that could have frozen hell cross to the elder knight. "We don't need him to find out—"

"Tch. Storm…Hawks…" A raspy voice interrupted, silencing the argument. Turning their heads back to the body, all attention was handed back to the thought to be comatose Dark Ace. The battered man let his chains rattle as he struggled to move up from where he had slid down. "You always have….a knack…of showing…up…late." His voice broke off into a shallow cough.

Piper drew back, though kept a strong stance. She could feel rage towards the man building up within her blood. All she wanted to do was to use one strong crystal blast. That would be the easiest thing to do. This man, if she could even consider him that anymore, ruined her best friend and destroyed his life. Why even believe that he would tell the truth even in a situation such as this?

The violet haired knight rose to her feet, letting her gaze fall to the crippled man upon the floor. "….Aerrow did this to you, didn't he?" she muttered. She could hear the younger members withdraw at the words, disbelief flooding the air around them.

The Dark Ace spat some blood from his mouth, letting the red liquid almost hit the woman. "You knew…this was going to happen to him." He muttered, the harsh tone slowly vanishing from his words. His muscles were becoming limp once more as the strain he had placed on them to move seemed too much for his battered body to handle. "That he would turn on me in the end."

Starling's face was cold and firm like stone. "He warned you that Aerrow would turn if this day came," she spoke, her voice no higher than a whisper. Though, each word seemed to echo throughout the stone cell. Her words almost seemed to cut through the weakened man, forcing his eyes down to the floor. "You may have been his second father, but you wanted nothing more for him to be corrupted by Master Cyclonis. You never cared about his well-being. You killed his family in what hopes? That he would follow you. You never wanted to hear what he would have wanted. You only—"

"…wanted him to survive this war." The words were quiet, but managed to cut off Starling's tangent.

Piper and the others moved in slightly to try and grab at the man's words. "…what?" the girl muttered, feeling a tinge of shock run up her neck.

The Dark Ace kept this head low, so that his eyes were hidden by his midnight black hair. "The oracle spoke to us of Aerrow's ability. She told his father and me how he could end the war. Cyclonis promised that if I would bring this child to her, that I would be spared in the slaughter of the Storm Hawks. She was afraid of the power he held. She would have rather seen him killed so she could win the war in her own way. But,"

"But what?" Finn questioned, trying to force the man to continue on.

"…You'll find Aerrow in the…main hall of the palace. He's…waiting for…you." His breath had become shallow and labored.

Junko stepped forward, "But what about the rest of your story?"

Holding up her hand to silence him, Starling shook her head. "We have gotten more information than we needed. You guys head forward, see if there are any guards. I'll be right behind you."

"But," Piper began, but was quickly silenced by a glare of violet from the woman. Withdrawing, the girl nodded. "Gotcha. Don't be too long Starling."

The Storm Hawks filed out of the cell quickly, taking off down the halls. The room had reverted back to its near blind environment. The woman let a small sigh escape her as she moved to kneel once more beside the wounded man. "Is what you said to them true?" she muttered, knowing that he was now staring at her.

He scoffed at the words, "They aren't ready to know the full truth behind their friend just yet. Aerrow….doesn't even know his….true power yet." He reached out slowly to Starling, letting his hand rest upon her own. "Don't….kill him."

"I never planned on it," she spoke, her tone softer than before.

The Dark Ace gave a shallow laugh that quickly reverted into a cough. "What…kind of…uncle…would I be if I…let you kill him?" he said, his hand sliding back from the woman. "Maybe one day…he'll figure…it out."

Shaking her head slightly, Starling let herself smile once more. "He knows you're more connected than just being enemies. Its there, though the memories are still locked away in his mind." Rising to her feet, she started towards the door of the cell. "Maybe one day, you can tell him yourself about everything else."

He laughed once more. "He wouldn't believe me anyways. Besides, I think we're better off enemies. It's…less comp…li…cated…that way."

Turning around in the doorframe, Starling nodded once more at the words. "See you in the skies then…Ace." And with that, she was off down the hallway after the team.

* * *

"They are coming up from the prison block," Master Cyclonis muttered softly.

Aerrow's ears perked at the mention of the intruders in the palace. He let his red eyes narrow from beside her, every muscle in his body tensing. The sense of adrenaline pumping through him was becoming unbearable to control. His fists clenched together tightly as he tried to contain himself.

Cyclonis took notice of her knight's restlessness. The thought could only make her smile at the look of murder in his eyes. "It's time you went to greet our guests Aerrow," she spoke, gaining a small nod from the knight. "You have all the abilities you need to crush them without any problem. Do not let them leave here alive, my knight."

Rising to his feet, Aerrow let himself nod once more to her words. "The Storm Hawks will regret the day the set foot within your walls my master." He spoke, his voice flat.

Stepping down from where her throne was perched, Aerrow headed towards the main doors of the room. His coat flared out about his as he let himself withdraw something small from a small pouch upon his leg. "I will be sure to greet them in a suitable way for rats of their caliber." He spoke as he disappeared into the palace.

Leaning back into her chair, Cyclonis smiled as she watched the young man vanish. "This…should be fun to watch." She let a small chuckle escape her as she watched the deep violet crystal shimmer in the low-lit room. "Aerrow...destroying his once so-called 'family'. It almost seems poetic in its irony."

* * *

"Finn, are you sure you know where you're going?" Starling spoke, every last word dripping in sarcasm. "Maybe you should let me,"

But the blond place his hand up as he continued down one of the long hallways, "I said I knew where I was going. And," he paused in his steps and words at that very moment. There, before them, was a large opened archway.

A large room greeted them, alit with the most brilliant chandeliers that any of them had ever seen. It was the brightest lit room within the palace, hands down. Marble floors emblazoned with the crest of the Cyclonian army within the center seemed like glass as it reflected the similar pillars about the room. Deep red curtains hung between the towers of marble, tied back to them with thin red ropes. Directly across from them was the largest grand staircase any of them had ever seen. Three tiers of wide steps lead the way up to two smaller staircases that lead to the upper balconies of the main hall. Right in the center, once again, was the Cyclonian crest.

Smiling slightly, Finn stood up straight, crossing his arms in triumph. "And you guys doubted the all mighty power of Finn." He gloated, starting in towards the stairs.

"Finn wait!" Piper snapped, taking hold of his arm. "Remember what the Dark Ace said?"

Junko nodded, "That's right! He said that Aerrow would be in here waiting for us." He gulped slightly at his own words, "and you saw what he did to him."

Shrugging away the hold Piper had on him, Finn started off into the room once more. "Yeah yeah. I know. But this is Aerrow. I'm sure if we just talk to him, he'll come to his senses."

Starling came up next to the blond. "Just, stay on your guard," she muttered, taking the lead as they headed into the room. The team stayed close together, weapons at the ready. "I just don't like the feeling I'm getting here."

"What do you mean?" Junko questioned, keeping his fingers wrapped about the handles of his knucklebusters.

Pausing in her steps, Starling let herself glance about the room. Piper and Junko had stopped beside her while Finn kept moving in the lead. Deep within her, she could feel a strange unbalance in the room. There were no guards about and despite the battle raging outside, this room was so quiet, she could hear her heart racing in her chest. Cyclonis was planning for them.

A shadow of a figure moving in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She could hear the sound of footsteps halting from above them and a quick intake of breath.

"FINN! GET DOWN!" she screamed, diving at the blond. Grabbing hold of the young marksman by the collar of his shirt, she heaved him backwards towards the rest of the team.

"What the big idea!?" he screamed, only to be quickly silenced as he staggered back against the woman. There, sitting before them, was a very sharp and large knife. It was almost the size Finn's Crossbow, making him go as white as a sheet.

Throwing the teen to the ground, Starling held up her weapon in defense. "It seems we have company."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Get ready for some fun in the next chapters. Don't forget to read and review!

* * *


	17. Friend or Foe

**Author's Note:** HA! Now there is new Storm Hawks to watch, I have been feeling motivated to finish this crazy story. Oh yes. There's only like...five more chapters or so left in this epic tale my friends. But! I promise I will make them good. Okay! And now...the long awaited chapter of 'Master Of Puppets!'

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

Friend or Foe

The dagger hit only a mere foot away from them, halting them in their steps. Starling aimed her weapon to the top of the staircase, her hands shaking slightly with anticipation. There was no one in sight, neither on the top of the way or off on the sides. They stood silent, posed and ready for any fight that they were ready to throw their way.

"Who's there?!" She called into the empty hall, her voice echoing slightly off the marble floors. She let her eyes wander over to the balcony, carefully observing the surrounding area. The pillar-lined walkways were shadowed, making it easy to conceal someone. And there, standing against one of the towers, leaned a silhouetted figure, another dagger posed in front of his face. Aiming her energy blade swiftly towards one pillar, Starling fired. The blast slammed the pillar, creating a loud boom throughout the hall. The person moved his head quickly, so as not to be struck.

"Come out! I know someone's there!" she yelled, eyes narrowing.

Suddenly, the sound of clapping hands entered the group's ears. It was slow, almost mocking –like. And under the clapping, there came a soft chuckle. Murderous and haunting, it became louder and louder as the figure moved from within the shadows. Their stride was slow, as if a predator hunting slowly, sizing up its prey. The dim light created a silhouetted shot of their attacker.

The clapping halted, but the chuckling became deeper, "Pathetic sky knight," The low voice muttered, their words sharp like daggers they held. "You keep fighting on and on. And for what? To keep being shoved down by the all powerful Cyclonia."

"You're wrong!" Piper yelled back, withdrawing her staff from her side. "We fight because we refuse to be held down by your kind anymore."

The person laughed, "Our kind? You really are as dumb as you look."

Finn withdrew his weapon and extended it, "You bastard! You won't even show your face!" He stepped forward, bringing his weapon up, "If you are really so powerful, then face me like a man!"

Silence greeted the teen's challenge as the group stood there, waiting for a reply. Their eyes remained locked upon the figure as he continued to walk towards the main stairway, his pace slightly quickened as he went. The weapon was no longer in front of his face, but by his side and ready for firing. He turned, and their eyes followed watching as he emerged from the shadows and down the side stairs.

His stainless steel armor clung to a long leather trench coat upon his body. Red hair, messy and completely unkempt, hung loosely as bangs sat before his eyes. Three more energy daggers remained by his side, along with his two short swords that sat upon his back. His stride was that of someone with great confidence, as if these people were just mere bugs, awaiting crushing.

"Very well then," he muttered as he stopped upon the landing. He remained facing off to the side, keeping his face hidden from their view. Raising his weapon up, he took aim down at them, "I've been waiting a long time to finally meet you," he growled.

Finn spat at the comment, "Less talk, more fight," he returned, loading one of his arrows into his crossbow.

The young man laughed, "Storm Hawks…I wouldn't expect anything but a fight to end all fights."

He slowly turned to face forward, letting his hair brush from his face. Slightly paled skin seemed to glow in the low light as the Cyclonian Talon shown on the upper right of his coat. Slowly, his eyes opened, to reveal a shade of brilliant red.

Finn's eyes widened in shock, lowering his weapon slightly, "No….it can't be…"

Piper felt her staff suddenly loosen within her hold. Her heart jumped into her throat as the young knight stood above them upon the stairs, fiddling with the daggers within his hands. The same build, the stance, the hair; it was all the one person she had been wanting to find. Taking a small step forward, she let her guard down completely.

"Aerrow!" she called out, trying to hide the desperate tones within her voice.

But Starling held her arm up before she could let the young strategist move any further. "Piper. You have to stay in control. Remember, he isn't the same Aerrow anymore." She hissed, making sure the girl did not try to leave from her spot. Looking to the rest of the Storm Hawks, he continued with her voice soft. "Just try talking before fighting him. Remember, he is ten times stronger than normal."

Taking a small step down upon the stairs, Aerrow held up his daggers between his gloved fingers. "Come on then. I thought you said you wanted a fight!" his voice roared.

Keeping a tight hold upon his crossbow, Finn shook his head slowly. "I'm not gonna fight you, man. I don't fight friends."

The words made Aerrow burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me? I wait for years to meet the grand Storm Hawk squadron, and what do I get? Refusal to fight." Tossing his hair from his eyes, he let his face become like stone. "Pathetic."

"Come on Aerrow. The joke is over!" Junko spoke up, holding his hands up in a surrendering style. "You just gotta remember us."

The blond nodded his head feverishly in agreement. "Dude, don't you recognize me? It's Finn. Ya know?" He took a step forward, completely letting his guard fall. His crossbow seemed almost forgotten in his grasp as he slowly moved away from the group. "I'm one of your—"

It was like lighting striking. Aerrow's arm quickly outstretched, letting one of his blades fly. The blond barely had time to react to the movement, moving his stance quickly to the side. He could feel the cool steal of the blade grace his cheek swiftly, landing right next to the first dagger than had been thrown. For a moment, Finn stood in silence, his blue eyes wide with shock. A small trail of blood slowly moved down the side of his face, dripping onto his uniform below.

"Enough of your talk," Aerrow growled, starting down the stairs once more. His pace grew quickly, almost breaking out into a full-blown sprint. The team could not help but get on guard as they watched him quickly approach. No matter what they tried to say, Aerrow was no longer listening. Quickly crouching to one knee, he leapt into the air gracefully. Drawing back his hand, Aerrow let his daggers fly downward at the squadron, allowing himself to flip within the air.

"MOVE!" Starling screamed. Every member of the team complied, dodging out of the way of the falling daggers. Each weapon had been activated, posed and ready to go on the defensive. They watched as Aerrow landed flawlessly to the marble floors, retaining the crouched position.

Starling kept her weapon tucked tightly in the ready position. Now that one trick was out of the way, she knew she had to be prepared for anything. From just those two moves he had pulled, she knew that Aerrow was powered up in some way, shape, or form. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as he pulled his blades from his back. Swinging them out to his sides, he ignited them in a brilliant shade of red and blazing flames.

Finn took up his guard as Aerrow rose back to his feet, "He's not listening to us. He's completely amped on energy." Looking to the purple-hair knight, he narrowed his gaze. "So much for talking to him."

Aerrow turned to face them once more, letting his blades spin within his fingers. A grin appeared upon his face as he locked eyes with the woman. "Starling of the Interceptors." He spoke, his voice low and taunting. "What an honor."

"This is insane, Aerrow," she spoke, letting the intensity rise up in her voice. "You have to remember us. These people are your squadron."

But the red head rolled his eyes at the words. Throwing out one of his hands, he let the red sword aim directly at her. "Broken records, aren't ya?"

Aerrow lunged in at Starling, his blades raised to strike. The woman's second nature kicked in as she watched him move. Just before he could collide with her, the woman threw up her weapon, holding back the attack from striking. The pressure upon her was intense. It felt as if she were trying to hold back a sky ride on full throttle. No sign of strain was in Aerrow's muscles as he stood firm, pressing into her. Upon his face was a stern expression; red eyes glaring through her as if they too were daggers.

Starling gritted her teeth as she felt her stance slowly slipping from underneath her. "Cyclonis' hold on you…is impressive." She growled, trying to force him away.

"This is the true power of a sky knight," Aerrow spoke, no change in his expression. "Something you will never know."

Smirking at the words, the woman knew words would not reach him. "I still have a few tricks of my own."

Within a flash, she released one side of her weapon. Aerrow leaned into her, prepared to strike. But Starling was faster, even if for one fleeting moment. She raised her knee up, making direct contact with his stomach. The teen let out a gasp as the pain as she quickly spun away from the weapons, missing them by a hair. Her weapon flailed out coming back into both of her hands once more as she leapt away from the now slightly crippled teen. Taking hold of a strong stance, Starling caught her breath as she awaited the next move.

Glancing back to the rest of the group, Starling gave a stern nod. No words were needed to have them understand what was needed to do. The team flanked out, surrounding the still stunned red head, holding their weapons in a defensive stance. All they could do was hold until their leader gave some kind of order. They watched in heavy silence as Aerrow slowly seemed to recover his breath, straightening up from his crippled position.

Red eyes glared up into those of the woman, forcing her stance to strengthen. Aerrow's lip curled slightly in disgust as his hair hung over his dangerous eyes. Hatred seemed to radiate into the air that she had never seen from a single person ever. Starling glanced about quickly to the other Storm Hawks, seeing their stances tighten up as well. Finn and Junko seemed ready for just about anything, though the blonde's face was now stained in dry blood. Piper kept her face like stone, though the woman could see her hands shaking slightly as she held her staff.

Aerrow straightened up, letting his neck roll to release any stiffness from his blind attack. "Enough of you games," he growled, his fingers tightening about the daggers poised within his fingers. "My master would not be happy to see me playing with my prey."

"Makes you sound like the dog that you have become!" Starling called back, know that kind words of coaxing would no longer be suitable. Aerrow was there, somewhere behind the red eyes. But talking would not allow for ground to be gained back. There was something inside him that had turned him into what he knew he hated. And even if it meant going against everything she knew, there had to be a line drawn. Going deeper into her stance, she smirked. "Make your move, traitor!"

Piper's eyes widened at the woman's words, "Starling…" she muttered under her breath. Looking to the surrounded red head, Piper felt her heart want to freeze in her chest. She was still in shock of trying to believe that it was truly her knight standing there, threatening to kill them. It didn't make any kind of sense. She knew that it was all Cyclonis' master plan, but it was still a nightmare in her mind.

"Piper! Watch out!" She heard Finn's voice shout, breaking her thoughts. It was in a blink of an eye that Aerrow had moved that she couldn't even follow him. The young knight leapt into the air, throwing out his daggers from his hands. Though the others seemed to dodge them, Piper became frozen in a pain rushing up and down her arm. The shock of feeling the energy rip through her made her loose a hold on her staff, letting it fall to the ground. The pain rolled through her as she let out a scream, moving to grab hold of the opened wound.

But before she could turn her head to look down at her torn arm, something cool came to her throat. Every muscle in her body tensed as she slowed felt her head to be forced to look up. There, not even a foot away from her was Aerrow, brandishing one of his energy blades. He had not even bothered to try and activate the crystals within, letting the cool steel dance ever so dangerously above her skin.

"Piper!" Finn's voice called, the sound of his crossbow pulling back echoing around the room.

"Shoot and I spill her blood!" Aerrow's voice roared, making Piper flinch ever so slightly. The girl could hear the others take a slightly more relaxed state, knowing that he couldn't even attempt to come to her aid. Out of the corner of her eye, Starling looked infuriated, clutching her weapon tightly against her, though deactivating its crystals. She gave her a small nod, letting her know that she was going to be okay.

Aerrow felt a disgust rise up in him at how the girl seemed to tremble in his hold. She had fallen so easily to his attack that to think she was a Storm Hawk almost made him want to laugh. After everything he had heard about them from Master Cyclonis, he was expecting a much tougher fight. And yet, here he was, so close to taking one of them out, he could taste the victory on his lips already. He let his fingers tighten about the handle of his dagger, letting them dance about the activation switch for the crystal energy.

'One pull…that's all it will-' It hit him so suddenly, Aerrow felt as if he had been punched in the gut. The girl glanced at him, trying not to show any fear to her captor. Deep orange eyes glared into his own, trying desperately to read him. They were all too similar. Something he had seen briefly in a dream. The hair, the skin, and those eyes; they all were dead on to her.

'_Don't you remember me?'_ The voice from his dream hit him hard, causing him to lower his weapon slowly. Reaching up with his free hand, Aerrow took hold of the girl's chin, causing her to flinch slightly. Her eyes quickly closed, trying not to look him in the eye.

"….look at me." He spoke, keeping his voice low though still full of demand.

Piper slowly opened her eyes at the words, feeling slightly more confident now that the blade was away from her throat. She could see red staring her down, studying her face carefully as she looked back to him. His gloved hand upon her chin moved her head with a surprising gentleness for how he was in his current state. There seemed to be confusion in his gaze, as if he were looking for something very important. But there was one thing that made the girl want to speak. There, deep within the sea of red that was his eyes, was the slightest flicker of green.

"That. Is. Enough!" A voice roared into the room, breaking Aerrow's gaze with Piper. He staggered backwards from her, eyes wide and letting his head fall into his now free hand. He slowly began to pant, feeling himself become somewhat weak in the knees. There was an uneasy feeling within his stomach as he tried to gain back his breath, fighting off the dulling pain that was growing within the back of his mind. "Come back to me, my knight."

All eyes averted to the stairs and the source of the outcry. There, atop the stairs, was the master herself. The young woman's collar was opened, exposing her short black hair and face to them all. Within her hand, she held a long staff, atop was perched a strange glowing crystal. She had a stern look upon her face as she watched her knight stagger away from the injured girl, grabbing his head in pain.

"Cyclonis…" Starling growled, letting her weapon reactivate.

"Aerrow! Return!" The young woman screamed, causing the knight to straighten up from his weakening position. Bending down to a knee, the sky knight quickly launched himself into the air, flipping over the battle-ready Storm Hawks to where his master awaited him. He landed without falter on one knee, letting himself fall into a deep bow beside the woman.

"Master," he muttered, closing his eyes from the pain in his head.

Cyclonis looked up to the crystal upon her staff. Lifting her hand ever so gently, she activated the stone, letting a strange light illuminate about her. Bringing her hand down in front of her, a small trail of the light seemed to follow as she circled it above the young knight, drowning him within the glow.

Smiling as the pain slowly began to vanish from his face, she glanced down to the awaiting Storm Hawks. "Amazing what crystals can do to someone you thought you once knew, isn't it? But this is how it was meant to be. Aerrow is my knight; so has the oracle proclaimed."

Finn looked up to the crystal upon her staff. "So you have a little rock? Big deal. All I gotta do is shatter that stupid thing, and Aerrow is no longer your slave. He quickly took aim, trying to line up the shot.

And yet, all Cyclonis could do was laugh at the sharpshooter's words, making him drop his weapon from firing range. "You honestly think I would let such a huge flaw be left wide open to you?" she snickered. Strengthening the power of the gem about Aerrow, she glared up at her staff. "You destroy this crystal…the one inside Aerrow will shatter, killing him instantly."

"What!?" Piper screamed, taking a step forward.

"That's twisted." Junko muttered, dropping his fists to his side.

"You sick son of a—" Starling started, moving towards the stairs.

But outstretching her hand, Cyclonis halted the knight in her tracks. Smiling as Starling gave a shocked look upon her face, the master flicked out a single finger. The small motion sent Starling flying backwards across the floor. She quickly came to a harsh stop against one of the many columns about the room. The knight crippled against the floor, letting her weapons deactivate.

"Starling!" Finn shouted, turning on his heels and making a break for their fallen knight. Junko and Piper were quick to follow, both trying to keep up their guard as best as they could as they watched the deadly pair above them upon the stairs.

Cyclonis' laughter echoed throughout the room at the sight of the fallen knight. The crystal slowly faded down back to its softer eerie glow as Aerrow slowly raised his head up. Looking up to the scene before him, he let a twisted smile come to his face as well. He rose to his feet slowly, removing his weapons from his back once more. His back was straight and tall, making his stature even more intimidating than before.

"Ah. Aerrow," The master turned to face her knight, her smile still here. "I think we have had enough fun with them." Outstretching her hand to him, Cyclonis allowed it to be taken by his gloved ones. "You have your new abilities. Use them and destroy the sad excuse for a squadron."

Place his lips to her hand; Aerrow gently kissed it in respect. "As you wish, my master."

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**Author's Notes: **Meep! Crazy times here kids. Make sure you stay tuned for the next chapter. Its the one I've been looking forward to writing the most. Don't forget to Read and Review!

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	18. Price of Freedom

**Author's Notes:** I told you guys that I was back on some kind of roll. Well, this chapter was one of the first ones that I had ever thought of when I wrote this story. It was so hard to write because I wanted it to be perfect. So, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (long chapter is long. But I had to keep going)

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**Chapter Eighteen**

Price of Freedom

The first feeling that came to Starling's head was pain. Cyclonis seemed stronger than ever, being able to throw her back so easily. It felt as it a hammer had rammed into the back of her skull numerous times, making her stomach feel uneasy. There was definitely some blood on the back of her neck, for she felt it rolling down onto her uniform shirt slowly. There was definitely a concussion there, no question about that. But the only thing that seemed to plague her thoughts at the moment was the sensation of her moving. She thought it could have been because of the blow to her head. But the sounds from around her were becoming clearer with every second.

"Stop them!"

"They're heading for landing bay four! Don't let them get away!"

The voices swirled in her head, making the woman quickly realize what had happened. They were retreating. Either something had happened that made them find no other way out or the rest of the team had no choice.

Starling flew her eyes open, despite the protest from her aching head. It took her a moment to let herself focus, though the blurred image was something that confused her. The world was moving in a steady pace up and down in front of her as heavy breathing and weapon shots could be heard. The occasion flash of red light flew past her, proving that her thoughts were right. The team was making their escape.

"Starling! Are you alright?" Junko's voice questioned from above, causing her to look up. Sure enough, the sky knight found herself tucked tightly against the massive Wallop, making him almost like a shield to her injured form. Beside him, she could see Finn and Piper keeping up a steady pace, firing back with their weapons to try and hold their pursuers at bay.

Looking out before her, the woman could see the hanger. There were few Talons scattered about, most of them already airborne in the battle raging outside. She could see Cyclonian cruisers going head-to-head with the carrier ships of the other squadrons, include the infamous Condor. Skimmers buzzed about like mere insects against the red sky, showing the sky knight squadrons to be a might quicker than the Talons.

Starling glared slightly at the thought of being carried away in such a manner. It was a disgrace to her title of being a sky knight. Though she appreciated them saving her, it was about time that she returned the favor. Glancing back up to Junko, she let her eyes narrow.

"Junko. Put me down." Her voice was quiet, though just enough for the Wallop's years to perk.

"Are you crazy? We have Talons on our tail."

But her eyes narrowed at his words. "Junko. Now." It was no longer asking politely. It was an order.

Skidding to a halt, Junko quickly let the woman down from his strong hold. As he made sure that Starling's feet touched the ground below her, Finn and Piper stopped dead in their tracks as well. "What are you doing?! We gotta get out of here!" Finn exclaimed, letting another energy bolt fly from his crossbow, hitting a Cyclonian square between the eyes.

Turning around to face the onslaught of soldiers, Starling shook off any weakness that her body felt. Her stance grew firm as the remainder of the Storm Hawks continued to battle on, trying to take down any of the pushing forward force. There were at least forty men charging at them from down the hall, with another twenty lingering throughout the hanger. She knew that there was only one option for them in order to escape. Though the thought of that word-'escape'- drove her insane.

Starling reached down to her side, where her weapon had been replaced. She took hold of the flail, allowing the violet crystals to once again activate. "I just want to thank Cyclonis for this lovely bump on my head." She growled, gaining surprised looked from the younger members.

The rush of power through her body was something that she had no use for in ages. Every muscle tensed as she felt herself become engulfed with the power. She let her eyes shut briefly, allowing herself to focus. Electricity built up within her fingertips, slipping its way into the very weapons she held. Taking in a deep breath, she let her eyes fly open as a smile crossed her face. Leaping into the air, she let her body twist gracefully into a full flip and turn. Twirling her weapon about in her grasp, she released the energy.

Piper, Finn, and Junko felt themselves freeze in shock. Out of every Sky Knight in all the Atmos, they had never once seen Starling perform her signature move. Rumors had said the move had failed to save her squadron in the battle against Repton, though no one ever asked her exactly why. Large wings spread from her back as spikes of pure violet energy erupted from the spinning numchucks. Every single spike of power was direct in its attack, taking down every last remaining Talon within the area.

"…whoa." Finn muttered, causing Piper and Junko to both nod in agreement.

Starling landed gracefully upon one knee, her arm with her weapon extended out to her side. She panted heavily as she remained still for a moment, letting her body relax once more. Although she seemed stern in her position, the squadron could see her muscles shaking in exhaustion.

"Are you okay Starling?" Piper questioned, lowering her staff slightly to approach the woman.

Nodding to the words, Starling continued to pant slightly. "I…just need a moment."

But Piper once more grew stern. "We don't have one of those. Junko, grab Starling and let's move!"

Taking the lead of the small team, Piper took off towards the edge of the hanger. She could hear Starling trying to refuse the help, but she knew that the Wallop could obviously over-power her. Finn was close on her heels as they made their way towards the edge of the landing strip, trying to find a way out of the massive room.

She knew that the sky knight probably felt pathetic for having to flee from the fight, but they had no chance in the situation they were in. Aerrow was distracted by receiving orders from the woman, which gave them the perfect opportunity to escape. She knew that the prison would have been crawling with loads of patrols, seeing they had probably figured that was where they had entered from. It was moments like these that Piper was glad she paid attention to the little details in life. There was a ladder down in the corner of the hanger that would lead them back to where they had left their skimmers. And that's where they needed to head.

As she lead the way, Piper couldn't help but feel a small twinge of discomfort. Aerrow was truly lost inside of Cyclonis' control, there was no doubt about that any longer. The way he moved, his voice, his actions; he was only a puppet in the woman's control. None of their words reached him, though for some reason, he took great interest in her face.

She began down the ladder, letting her mind continue on racing. That stare was one that she wish she could shake from her thoughts. His eyes were cold and distant, that of someone that would not show any kind of mercy. And yet, for even the slightest moment, there was something there. It was faint, but it was a small spark that she remembered from him always having. Aerrow was there, but a prisoner in his own body.

It took her a moment to realize that she was now standing on a small platform, their skimmers hidden behind a stack of crates. "Let's hurry guys." She muttered as Finn and Junko quickly followed behind her onto the platform.

* * *

Within minutes, the small team was airborne, trying to find a safe way back to the Condor through the battle. Starling said she was well enough to fly herself, though Finn stood close by on his own skimmer, just in case she needed help. Junko took lead, knowing that if any Talon attempted a dogfight with him; he could take them out of the sky with just a single punch. Piper held onto Junko tightly, keeping her staff out for the 'just in case' scenario.

"We need to think of another plan," Starling was the first to speak, though her voice seemed weaker than normal. "Aerrow is only going to get more powerful if we leave him under that witch's control for much longer."

Nodding in agreement, Finn narrowed his eyes in a rare moment of deep thought. "What about those blockers you had Piper make up? Wouldn't those—"

Starling shook her head. "It's a temporary solution that will be a permanent problem. We can't have him wear a crystal for the rest of his life. Before long, Cyclonis would find a way around them."

Piper sighed at the harsh truth they were met with. She thought that maybe her stones would be powerful to take care of whatever Cyclonis had done to him. But after seeing just how much he had changed, she knew that it was probably a pointless attempt to try and even use them. She knew that she had kept a promise to keep herself strong until the moment that Aerrow was back home and safe, but as every second passed in their flight, it was beginning to feel more and more hopeless.

"Condor to squadron," Stork's panicked voice came in through the two-way, forcing the focus of the group back to where it should have been. "Boogie at one o'clock and closing in on your current position. It's…super quick. Might be a sky shark or something. I recommend picking up the pace."

Finn raised an eyebrow at the words. "Sky shark? There is no way that's-" The blond was silenced as red raw energy shot past his head, causing him to duck down slightly. All eyes from the team quickly turned, fear sweeping through them like a tidal wave.

Aerrow grinned as his weapon kept a stern place outstretched before him. The blade was glowing its devilish red as it pulsed within his fingers. His hair blew about his face, revealing the hints of his red eyes from behind. The skimmer seemed to be moving abnormally fast for his normal bike's capabilities. Any inch that had the Storm Hawk emblem had now been replaced with the Talon. And with every passing moment, he was coming closer and closer to the team.

"Head for the Condor!!" Piper shouted, placing a blocking crystal into the end of her staff. She knew that it was pointless, but perhaps if he got close enough, she could try and deactivate it long enough for them to figure out a way to remove the stone. Glancing over at the others, Finn loaded up his crossbow, falling back behind Starling to give the injured woman some cover. There was no possible way that any of them could out fly Aerrow. He was the greatest pilot that had come to the Sky Knights since his father most likely. And they knew if they tried to take him on in the air, they would be in the wasteland within five minutes of engagement.

Revving their engines, the squadron pushed their skimmers forward. They could hear the sounds of Aerrow's amped bike closing in from behind. Every few seconds, shots of red light buzzed through the air around them, bringing up the drive to hurry their skimmers back to the Condor. Though, once they landed, there was no real idea of what they could do.

"Hurry Junko! He's catching up!" Piper urged on, keeping her eyes locked on the young man behind them. Aerrow was nearly upon them, almost even with Finn and Starling. He kept one of his blades out to the side, awaiting the chance to strike once more.

Smiling slightly as he watched the girl's face turned nervous, Aerrow focused his energy into his blades. "Too. Easy." Flinging his arm outward, he sent off another massive blast of energy. It rushed past Starling and Finn without any hint of grazing the two. Then, in one massive strike, it hammered into the back of Junko's skimmer.

The control panel went nuts, beeping and smoking from the attack. Small bolts of electricity shot up at the pair upon the skimmer, gasps escaping them from the surprise of the jolt. The nose of the bike tipped downward, sending the pair into a spiraling motion. Piper let a scream escape her while Junko continued to smash his hands against the panel, attempted to get his baby to move again.

"Junko! Piper!" Finn shouted as he sent off a shot in Aerrow's direction.

Piper let her eyes focus around the spinning motion, trying to see where they would land. It was then the idea hit her. "Junko! Hard left!" she shouted over the sounds of the engine giving way.

The Wallop understood instantly what the girl wanted to do. There, off to the side, was the Condor, awaiting their return. The guns were fighting off some rouge Talon fighters, but overall the ship seemed pretty unharmed. By tilting the bike to the side, they would miss a plummet into the wastelands by only mere feet and land on the landing strip instead.

Pulling on the controls of his bike, Junko threw all of his weight to the left, in hopes to help his bike's already dangerously out of control path become more focused. "Brace for impact!" he shouted over his shoulder, causing Piper to cling tightly to him and shut her eyes.

The two were instantly thrown from the bike, flung along the landing strip towards the open hatch doors. Piper felt herself slide a good nine feet before she halted against the harsh pavement and steel. Her arms and legs were sore, feeling her knees and arms begin to bleed. In her hand, she still held her staff, the crystal still perched upon its top. Glancing to her side, she could see Junko sitting up slowly, shaking his head slightly. Unlike her fragile human frame, the Wallop hand barely any damage to him. Though, shock quickly settled upon his face at the image of his ride.

Or what was left of it. Aerrow's shot appeared to be more powerful than they thought. The skimmer was nothing more now than a heap of burning twisted steel. Flames shot up as the fuel crystals ignited, causing the blaze to rise up into the sky. The full back tire was missing from the heap, probably blow off from the hit.

Letting out a deep sigh, Piper looked up to see Finn and Starling landing a bit further up the runway. The two were off their skimmers before they could even stop completely. They hurried down towards their comrades, weapons drawn and at the ready.

"Are you two alright?" Starling called, coming up beside Piper as Finn stopped between her and Junko, keeping his eyes on the sky.

But she ignored the question. "Where did Aerrow go?"

"We lost sight of him as soon as you two were hit." Starling muttered, letting her gaze go skyward. "He might have retreated for now."

Letting her eyes glance back to the crash site, Piper felt her blood run cold. As she studied the blazing wreckage of the bike, an outline of a person started to form. He passed through the flames as if they didn't even feel it, for his strides were long and slow as they held his weapons to the side. He strolled slowly, his eyes narrowed and loveless. Upon his face, he wore a twisted grin as his hair blew slightly in the breeze. His coat flared up within the wind, his armor shining in the low light of the fire.

Piper felt a lump appear in her throat. "…Aerrow."

Finn was quick to react, firing off a shot in the direction of the sky knight. His bolt held true to its target, aimed directly for the center of Aerrow's chest. It only took him half a second after he fired, that he remembered who the enemy was. "…oh shit." He muttered, eyes wide with fear.

But the projectile was nothing more than a fly to the sky knight. Lifting up his blade, Aerrow deflected it to the side, allowing it to explode behind him. It only made him smile more as he took his time with his steps, taking in the scene before him with great pleasure in his eyes.

"So this is what has become of the great and powerful Storm Hawks." He called over the rage of the fire behind him. Pausing in his steps, Aerrow let his blade deactivate. "Beaten. Bloody…and begging for mercy at my feet."

"Who's begging?" Starling growled, her eyes narrowed in anger. There was a rage within her eyes that no one had seen before. "I just see a fool who feel into darkness and is too blind to see the truth in front of him!"

Tossing his hair from his face, Aerrow let out a laugh. "Are you still on that whole sob story? For someone who I heard was to be a great fighter…you're pathetic. All I was hoping for was a real fight! To see who was truly greater: the power of Master Cyclonis…or some Storm Hawk. And all I hear is stories of how I am supposedly best friends with you all? Like that would ever happen."

Biting her lip, Piper moved to sit up. His words were like poison running through her veins. Although every inch of her ached, she knew that she needed to get up. This man that was before her was no longer Aerrow and if he wanted a fight, then she would gladly be the one to try and bring him down and back to where he should be. Using her staff for support, Piper brought her feet beneath her once more, hoisting herself up to be level with the red haired knight.

"What's this?" Aerrow spoke, false surprise on every word. He watched in amusement as Piper came to her feet, though her knees shaking beneath her as she found support from her weapon. "Well…it looks like one of you still has some fight left. Are you going to feed me some sad line about us being best friends and whatnot? Or maybe-"

"Shut your damn trap!" Piper's voice echoed, silencing Aerrow with shock coming across his face. The girl could feel the eyes of the others burning into the back of her head as she held her ground, letting her head hang low. "You're…not Aerrow. You are nothing but a puppet. A tool for Master Cyclonis to use. Whoever you are, you are keeping the real Aerrow from us. You claim that we're sad and beaten? The only one I see beaten here," throwing her head up, she spun her staff into a battle ready stance. Her eyes were narrowed, her scraps and wounds forgotten. "…is you."

A smile once again grew across Aerrow's face. "Finally. Someone who is willing to fight me." Withdrawing his second dagger, he hit the triggers to let them ignite in their blood red once more.

Gritting her teeth, Piper was the first to move on the offensive. She leapt into the air, spinning her staff above her head. Bringing it down in a massive burst of power, she made contact with Aerrow's blades. The knight felt his feet falter beneath him at the surge of power that the girl delivered. Though impressive, he refused to show any restraint.

With a massive push from his muscles, Aerrow threw the girl off of him, sending her back into a flip and letting her land once more on her feet. Piper was quick to bring her staff back into the guard position, starting in once more at the young man. Aerrow greeted her with the same motion, bringing himself into her with blades at the ready.

The clash was intense as the blades hit the staff repeatedly. With every blow Aerrow attempted to deliver to her, Piper almost seemed to be one step ahead of him. She landed very few blows, though she managed to graze his sides and legs at least once or twice in her onslaught of blows.

Finn gulped as he watched the fight continue on. He had never seen such a rage within the girl before. It was almost frightening to see as she kept an intense glare upon her once former leader. But as he watched her carefully, the blond saw something that he knew Aerrow must have ignored. There, in the corners of her eyes, he could see tears forming. With every strike the landed to him, the small droplets seemed to grow, threatening to spill over at any second.

Piper leapt back, gasping for some air. She could see that Aerrow was starting to grow slightly weary, though her fatigue was ten times worse than his own. In a few of her blows, she had managed to graze and cut at him. The sleeve of his jacket had been torn open, exposing some of his now bloody flesh. Small cuts and bruises were apparently as he was looking more beaten than before.

'I don't know if I can…keep this up.' Piper thought, taking up her stance again. Glancing to the end of her staff, she took notice of the crystal she had placed in before the crash. The blocker was still sat there, dull and deactivated. 'If I can activate this at the right moment…then maybe. Just maybe…'

"Giving up so soon?" Aerrow's voice taunted, causing Piper to refocus her thoughts. He stood firm in his spot, panting slightly as he stared her down.

"Waiting on you!" She called back.

Twirling his blades about his fingers, the red head crouched down. "It ends now, Storm Hawk." He growled, letting his red eyes stare her down.

Piper watched as Aerrow took to the air once more, preparing himself for a full blow downward on her weakening state. Watching him carefully, Piper adjusted her staff in her hands, allowing the crystal to rattle in its claw at the end. She needed to time this just right. This would hopefully silence the crystal within him for a few hours until she could figure out a way to rid him of it once and for all.

"Too. Easy." Aerrow called as he brought up his weapons above his head, letting the blades grow in more power.

"Activate!" She screamed at the top of lungs, letting her energy surge through the staff. She let her eyes close as she thrust the crystal up at her attacker, preparing herself for the flash of light. In her hands, she felt her staff grow heavy with an unknown weight. Her arms lowered quickly at the feeling, though the trembled from the sudden strain. The light was too bright, hurting her already closed eyes. But, she knew that she had to open them to make sure it had all worked.

Forcing herself to look ahead, Piper felt her stomach leap into her throat. Aerrow stood not even a foot away from her, his eyes wide with shock. His mouth hung agape as his lower lip trembled slightly. Above his head, his weapons were still poised to strike, though the red glow had vanished. Every inch of skin visible slowly turned a sickly pale as he slowly began to gasp for a breath.

"Aerrow…" she breathed, unsure if this was to be his reaction. But before she tried to remove her hands from her staff, she felt something warm. It was thick as it slowly began to cover her hands, making holding onto the handle of her staff harder than before. The feeling made Piper's eyes grow wide like the young man across from her. Taking in a deep breath, she let her gaze slowly drift downwards.

The staff hit right beside an unarmored piece of his chest. Blood dripped from the opening in his chest as he slowly gasped for air. With every intact of breath he attempted, he only seemed to bleed out more onto the weapon. What made Piper want to throw up even more was that from behind him, she could see the tip of the blocker, though now covered in the thick red as well.

Finn, Junko, and Starling all stared in shock. All three of them did not know how to react nor if they should move from their spots. The image before them was something that was unreal. Like from a nightmare that couldn't possibly be real. Each one of them felt sick at the sight, though more from shock.

It was like someone had he auto-pilot within her mind. Without even trying to think anything through, Piper quickly withdrew her weapon. Aerrow's body jolted again at the sudden movement, causing another gasp to escape him. A small trickle of blood came down from the corner of his lips, dripping down to the ground. But the girl knew that she had to remove it. Quickly discarding to the side, she let the staff roll away from her. All she could look at was the shell-shocked face of the young sky knight in front of her.

Without the staff to support him any longer, Aerrow crippled. Reaching out to grab hold of his body, Piper fell to her knees. He was heavy in her grasp as she finally let it hit her. "Oh…god." she muttered, taking hold of him in her arms.

The others were to her side in a heartbeat. They approached her slowly, disbelief washing over them. Aerrow lay there upon her lap, his legs stretch out and arm limply off to the side. His blood slowly began to form a pool around where the girl knelt, holding his head in her lap.

Finn was the first to Piper's side. He looked down, feeling his stomach turn. The color was gone from his friend's face, his eyes fallen shut. Blood splattered on his face from smaller cuts though if it was from the wound in the chest, the sharpshooter didn't even want to think of it. All he knew is what he saw. There was no life left in his body. Whatever was there had vanished.

"He's…" he whispered, the shock still growing deep within him.

Stork and Radarr quickly ran onto the deck, having seen the fight from the bridge. They too, approached in silence, cautiously uncertain of the situation. Radarr hurried ahead of the Merb and right to Piper's side, wanting to see his friend.

Piper could see Radarr out of the corner of her eye. The small blue creature came up beside her, sniffing at the cold figure before her. There was a look of shock as he reached up to Aerrow's shoulder, slowly trying to shake him awake. He let out a soft squeak like he would normally do, though the hint of sadness became clearer with every shake.

Looking back to the figure before her, Piper let her eyes look over Aerrow's stone-like face. Her heart felt like it was shattering within her very being. The sounds of the others beginning to tear up behind her made it seem all the worse. She couldn't have stopped him. She didn't aim well enough. And now…she had killed him.

"I never expected it to end like this." Finn muttered, a small sniffle being heard in his words.

"I promised this wouldn't happen…" Starling's voice was soft, uncertainty etched on every word.

Radarr howled as the Merb and Wallop as well began to mutter soft words of disbelief. And yet, all of them seemed like nothing to what Piper felt. The tears that lingered within her eyes began to fall down her face quickly. With every moment she stared at Aerrow's still form, they seemed to flow faster and faster. Her heart began to pound as she let her hands tremble under the body. There were no words that she could say. Nothing could express her sorrow and her pain.

Taking in a deep breath, Piper let out a scream that could have shattered every inch of glass in Atmos. She broke down into sobs, letting herself scream in pain. All she could do was sit there, letting all of her emotions pour out of her in tears and screams. Piper felt her body grow numb from weakness as she cradled the sky knight's form in her arms. She felt strong hands reach down to take hold of her. But they dared not try and move her. Piper got a small scent of Finn's cologne as he took hold of her from behind, trying to calm her. Starling was on the other side of her, though she kept her hands upon her back, trying to calm her cries.

But there was nothing that could help her at that very moment. Everything in her world had shattered the moment she had muttered those words of activation. She felt herself grow cold and she shook in Finn's hold. The sharpshooter pulled her into his arms, putting her head into his shoulder to let her cry.

'Aerrow…please…' she thought, letting more tears come. 'Please don't leave me. I need you. You can't…'

'…Do you wish for him to live?'

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Told you this was hard to write. It was depressing as hell. But, we're not done yet everyone! Don't forget to Read and Review!


	19. Listen To Your Heart

**Author's Note: **Okay. Okay. Let's all calm down after that last chapter. I'm bad and I'm super sorry everyone! But, it was in the cards from when I originally thought of the story. But, I bet you are all curious to see what's gonna happen now. Well...here we go!

**Chapter Nineteen**

Listen To Your Heart

The world seemed to pause as the girl slowly brought her head up to the words she heard. Tears flowed down her face as she sniffled her nose. Her body trembled as she pulled away from Finn, letting herself glance about slowly. The world around her had become still. Not a single sound could be heard or the slightest bit of motion be seen. Every single one of her comrades had become like statues, frozen in their very place. Sky rides and the battle stood silent within the very sky above her head, making her heart race in question.

"Do you…" the voice repeated, forcing her gaze back front. There, standing before her, was a woman who seemed no older than twenty-five. Long graceful robes draped about her body as long raven hair hung down to her bare feet. Upon her brow, was a simple crown made of diamond like crystals. Small chains connected them as they dripped down into her hair. Eyes of emerald green shown gently threw her bangs and a soft smile graced her flawless complexion. "…wish for him to live?"

Piper couldn't help but stare in awe of the woman, unsure of what was happening. "Who…who are you?" she questioned, sniffling once more. "What's going on?"

Bringing up her hand, she simply lowered her head in a bow. "I am all that there has been. And all that will be." Letting her eyes reconnect with Piper's she let the smile stay upon her lips. "Your race knows me…as the oracle."

* * *

A blinding flash of light shot from her fingertips, engulfing the two within its warm rays. Piper brought her hand up, quickly blocking her eyes from the light. She kept a hand upon Aerrow, not willing to release him from her grasp. The light seemed to push the tears from her eyes, drying her face instantly. A warm breeze filled her lungs, almost trying to calm her sobs. But, just as quickly as it had come, the gust stopped and the bright light vanished.

Slowly, Piper brought her arm away from her eyes. She blinked, trying to adjust to the light that now seemed to be surrounding her. It was then she felt her heart stop in her chest as she took in her surroundings. Every inch of the battlefield was gone from sight. White completely surrounded her in every direction, for it seemed to stretch on forever. But something was missing. Looking down, the young man she had clung to for dear life had vanished. Aerrow's body was no longer where her hand reached to, making her tremble in fear. "Aerrow?" she whispered, letting her eyes gaze up back out in the nothing.

And there, sitting before her, was the Oracle. The woman had come to her knees, her long hair and robes sprawled out around her. She smiled softly as she let her fingers run though the red hair of the figure that lay silently within her lap. Aerrow looked like a rag doll, every inch of his body completely limp. He still wore his Cyclonian uniform, the large open gash clearly visible upon his chest.

"So much promise…" the woman spoke softly, causing Piper to lean forward. The girl let her weight shift, resting on her hands and knees to watch carefully. "Out of every prediction I have made, he was the one that I felt could truly make a difference." Looking up to Piper, the Oracle's face became stern. "This…was never to be his fate."

"Where…where are we?" were the only words Piper could muster out.

Glancing around her, the woman continued to stroke the boy's head. "This…is what you know as 'limbo.' A place where the dead seek judgment on their lives and await their fate in the afterlife." Smiling once more, she let her green gaze meet with Piper's once more. "But to us, this is the inner most sanctum of a person's mind."

Piper took in a sharp breath. "This…is Aerrow's mind?" She too, took a moment to glance about it, unsure of what to make of the white area.

"Or…what is left of it." The girl looked back to woman, who let out a deep sigh. "Master Cyclonis' crystal has destroyed his memory of what he was and who he used to be. It is nothing I can fix. But," She smiled, causing Piper to recoil slightly. "You…can."

"What…do you mean?" Frustration was beginning to build within the girl, watching as the Oracle sat, a pure calmness lingering over her. "You're the reason this whole thing happened. You're the reason that Aerrow died! All because of something you predicted!" Pointing at the woman, Piper felt fresh tears begin to build up in her eyes. "It's your fault that Aerrow is dead!"

Lowering her gaze to the silenced young man, the woman could only continue on stroking his hair. "Perhaps. I did predict that Aerrow could have ended this war. But for who I said would be the victor was something I never told."

"But everyone-"

"It was not I that stabbed him," her words like venom to Piper's ears as she felt her heart pause in her chest. "I do not control the path that was chosen. I only predict what will be if one chooses the wrong one." Looking the crystal expert in the eye once again, she let a smile come back to her face. "I came to you because I know that you are the one that can fix this. If we are able to be in this very part of Aerrow's mind, then that means that nothing is completely lost. "

Piper shook her head slightly, her gaze falling. "But...I caused this. Aerrow just...and then I...there was no way. I don't know..." she let her voice trail off, knowing she was only digging her grave deeper with the mystic.

"Back when you entered the Forbidden City, it was this very sky knight that set me free from where I was confined." Removing her hand from Aerrow's head, the oracle placed him onto the floor gently. "By releasing me once more into the world, I know that I am in debt to him. Though he had requests to know the future from everyone else on his squad, he himself asked nothing of me until I questioned him." Leaving her hand above the limp body, she slowly lifted her hand into the air above her head. It was as if he were a puppet attached to strings, for he simply rose up to the point where he was level to her hand. And there, he remained, floating a mere few feet off the ground. "It was that very moment I knew...he was the one I had forseen. And it was him that would bring forth a path to stop the war and bring peace to the Atmos again."

Piper slowly came to her feet in awe of the sight. Though every muscle in her body ached from battle and her wounds, she pushed the pain aside as a second thought. Walking slowly, she began to approach the figure, unsure of what the woman wanted her to do. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the Oracle rise to her feet as well, though it all seemed to be in one fluid movement. But she did not seem to matter in her heart. She came to a halt beside Aerrow, trying to suppress the tears she felt building up within her eyes.

Reaching out to him, Piper saw her fingers trembling as she moved to touch his face. She tried to calm herself, letting herself lick her lips to hold back crying anymore. Under her fingers, his skin was like ice. There was no longer any of the color or life she knew all too well lingering upon his features. His face was scratched where her staff had struck him earlier. The blood around the wound was still slightly damp as she let it touch her fingertips.

"When you were children, Aerrow found support from you." The Oracle began, letting the girl continue to look over her friend carefully. "Even after all of his memories were gone, you were the one person who was there to pull him through. You were his friend after he lost all that he knew and loved." Seeing that Piper nodded to her words, the woman felt it alright to continue on. "And even now, when he was under the control of Cyclonis, there was one person he remembered. When he told you to look at him, something clicked not within his head, but within his very heart and soul. He knew your face, your voice…from what Cyclonis could never control."

Raising her hand out to the void, the woman slid it across the air. As Piper looked up, she could see an image appear before her. It was faded, looking as if it were an old piece of film on a broken reel. There was no sound, but everyone's lips seemed to be moving. She let her eyes narrow, trying to see what exactly what was there. It took her only a few seconds to recognize what she saw; Memories. From when they were in the Forbidden City, to Terra Neon, to all of their other missions, everything seemed to be there. She could see the two of them outside talking on the deck of the ship, to when she confronted him about the nightmares he had been having. It all seemed to be in tact, although very faded and distant.

"These are what's left of his memories. Cyclonis managed to damage them to the point where even if the controller was gone, he would have no memory of who he was or who you were." Letting the scene play on, the Oracle turned back to Piper. "You have the key to making him who he once was. And to let him live."

"I don't understand," Piper spoke softly, not letting her eyes leave the memories. "What could I have?"

It was like Aerrow was trying to answer the question for her. Within that very moment, a scene came into view, pausing her thoughts. It was clearer than the others, though still looking faded and worn. And from what she could hear, the sound of a child's voice came to her ears.

'_Hey Aerrow,' she started, causing him to slow down to a stop. _

"That's….me. When I was a kid." Piper spoke softly, trying to understand the memory.

_Looking over his shoulder, he met her gaze. 'Yeah?' _

'_I was wondering,' she paused letting go of his hand, 'if I was ever lost and I needed a hero to save me, would you be that hero?' _

_Smiling back at the five-year-old-girl, Aerrow nodded. 'You bet Piper! You're my best friend. I would never let anything happen to you!' _

The picture skipped, causing the girl to gasp suddenly. But, just as quickly as it had seemed to have broken, the image returned only a few short moments later.

_Smiling as a light breeze picked up, Aerrow let his bangs blow in his face. "You have been there for me Piper. Ever since I came here, you always have been really nice to me, even when I didn't like to talk too much. You are a great friend and I never wanna loose you. I'll always be there fore you. No matter what." A large smile crossed his face, causing Piper's face to grow warm. "Thank you Piper."_

_Placing a hand to her necklace, the girl let her reddening face remain in view of the boy. She didn't try to hide it as she returned the smile. "You're welcome Aerrow."_

Mimicking her younger self, Piper placed her hand to the charm about her neck. Her jewel was something that she never had thought twice about, but always had with her no matter what. If there was a moment that she didn't have it, then there was something very wrong. Without it, nothing ever seemed right.

Glancing back at the image, it changed to a fading image of a trip to Tropica. The strategist looked to the oracle, unsure of what to say any longer. "Your crystal is one that is the only one of its kind. They were used in the ancient times as pact-keepers. We call them 'Bond' stones." Pointing her long white fingers to the girl, the crystal sprang to life from under her hand. Within a mere flick of the finger, the leather cord untied itself, letting the crystal slide out from under her hand. Piper could only watch in awe as her necklace seemed to take on new life, floating freely between the two of them.

"Although you did not realize it at the time, Aerrow and you made a bond that day." She continued, keeping Piper's focus upon the stone. "He would always be there for you. And would come to save you if you ever needed a hero."

But Piper shook her head, "That was nothing though. A childhood promise-"

"…that he has always taken to heart."

The words silenced Piper's objection. She looked down at the cold form before her, letting her jewel become nothing more than a second thought. Her hand was still upon his cold face, just a few inches beside the mark she had left him. For what seemed like years, Piper could only think of Aerrow. What she would tell him when he came back. How much he had meant to her and the team. And she wanted nothing more to see that smile and hear his laugh once more.

She let her hand move to cover his whole cheek, taking in the cold without a second thought. "Aerrow," her voice was quiet as she let herself fall into her own thoughts; her thoughts…without her normal logic. "From the first day I met you, I knew that there was something different in you. Whether it was your strength, your love for adventure or just your spirit…I'll never know which one drew me to you."

The images that played before her flickered slightly, letting some of the image become clearer. "I have thought about what I would tell you when you came back to the Condor. Over and over again in my head, I just let the words play in my head. I wanted to tell you just how much you were missed. How we…I…needed you there. That without you, nothing seemed right."

Brushing some of his hair away from his closed eyes, the crystal slowly began to shimmer a dim glow. "I…can't stand this sight. You're just laying there; cold and lifeless. Where is that fire that I know? The laugh that could make me smile even when I was depressed. That feeling of knowing you are always there, even when it felt like no one wanted me around. Where is the sky knight I know and care about?"

The images slowly began to even out, coming out of the haze that covered them. A dull garbled sound began to fill the room as the jewel flickered even more, letting the light shine brighter. Piper felt herself beginning to choke up once more, fresh tears rolling down from her eyes onto cheeks. "I would ask you if this whole fight was worth while. If we were fighting a loosing battle. And…you would just smile at me_._ '_As long as you have something to fight for, then every moment is worth it_.'"

The oracle found herself smiling at the words Piper spoke. Glancing out to the images, they were now becoming even clearer, every single word was clear as a bell. The girl's necklace shown with such a radiance that nearly made her eyes flinch. And yet, Piper ignored it all, focusing just on the young knight before her. She took up his hand in her free one, letting the other remain upon his face.

"You can't leave yet. There's still so much I want to tell you. You are my reason to keep fighting on. I would follow you until we reach the edge of the Atmos. I don't want to say goodbye to you Aerrow. I know…you're in there somewhere." Bringing his hand up, she gently placed it to her tear-stained face. Closing her eyes, she let the tears fall faster than ever before. "Please…don't leave me again."

A familiar warm gust surrounded the girl once more, but she stood her ground beside her knight. Keeping her eyes closed, she listened as the world around her seemed to be sucked into a cave. The words from Aerrow's memories echoed around her, filling her own mind with confusion. Laughs, threats to Cyclonians, simple moments with words that would linger in her mind for hours after circled around her, engulfing her in the noise. But she stood firm beside Aerrow, never letting go of his hand.

"So bound by a promise, so shall he remain beside you." The oracle's voice spoke. Though it seemed so quiet, it echoed over all the other words. Cracking her eyes opened slightly, Piper caught a glimpse of the woman before her. She smiled as the crystal began to glow brighter than ever. "Destiny is never set in stone Piper. And you have chosen…the right path."

* * *

"Piper!" Finn's voice shattered her thoughts, forcing Piper's eyes to fly opened. The sounds of the battle raging on were the first sound to come to her somewhat aching head. Looking about quickly, the girl found herself back on the deck of the Condor, surrounded by her friends with concerned faces. Starling and Finn were on either side of her, holding her up somewhat by her arms. Junko, Stork and Radarr stood across from her like before, though confusion had replaced sadness upon their faces.

Looking up at Starling, Piper blinked slowly. "What happened? My…head is killing me." She muttered, letting her hand come up to her sore brow.

"You tell us," the woman motioned with her head back towards where the young sky knight still lay still. There, still above him like before, was her necklace. Its light had grown dimmer than moments before, though still seemed full of a strange energy. "Your necklace reacted to something, covering you and Aerrow in a strange light. It was only a minute or so before it released you and you collapsed back into us."

"A light?" Piper thought on the words for a second before it hit her like a bolt of lighting. "Aerrow…"

A pulse of warm white light burst forth from the crystal, forcing the squadron to shield their eyes. The sounds of the small stone cracking could be heard over the fight, forcing them all to push back slightly. Piper tried desperately to catch even the smallest glimpse of what was happening, though the light proved to be too violent for her bare eyes to handle.

'_The bond is sealed. The choice was made…let no man tear them apart again.'_

With those words, the light vanished within an instant. Each of the team members brought down their guard with caution, unsure of what would happen next. They looked around the deck of the ship, all making eye contact with the other in hopes of finding an answer. The crystal fell to the ground, its color now a deep grey. A large crack came down the center of it, small pieces of it missing from its shape.

"…uh….what just happened?" Finn was the first to ask, looking down at the girl he was helping support.

But Piper's eyes stayed focused on Aerrow. Pushing away from her two teammates, she slowly made her way beside the red head once more. She knew that all eyes had settled upon her, uncertainty building. But she needed to know if it was just all some cruel game or if something unexplainable really did just happen. She paused beside Aerrow once more, letting her hand take hold of his. He was still like ice; skin a pure white. Bringing it up to the side of her face, she let her two hands cradle the dead weight against her cheek.

"Don't leave me Aerrow," She muttered under her breath, knowing none of her team could hear her. Her tears began once more, falling onto the young man's fingertips. "Please…"

Sudden warmth spread against her face as she felt muscles tense against her grasp. Slowly, fingers started to react to where they were, gently wiping away the tears that had fallen upon them. Piper felt herself gasp at the sudden movement, letting her hands come off of his. The hand remained upon her cheek without her support, brushing away some of the tears that had formed.

Looking down at Aerrow's face, Piper's heart leapt up into her throat. Slowly, soft green eyes forced their way opened, though just barely able to keep themselves opened. The stare was there, looking right into her eyes. Those eyes that she had missed looking at her.

"Aer…Aerrow….You're…" she staggered, unsure of what to say.

"He's ALIVE!" Finn's voice shouted it at the top of his lungs, finishing the girl's thought for her. The blond was to his feet in an instant, eyes widened with shock.

Starling's eyes grew in shock as well. "How…on earth?" she muttered.

Junko found himself again in tears, though this time of joy. Taking hold of the Merb and Radarr, he quickly began to smother them out of happiness for what had just happened. Though normally Stork would try to escape the strangle hold of Junko, he let himself be caught up in the moment, celebrating along side of Radarr and the mechanic.

As Finn joined in the shouts of happiness, Piper remained where she sat. She just kept her stare on Aerrow, letting her tears flow faster out of the relief she felt. A smile, for the first time in ages, came to her face as she saw him slowly blinking at her. There were no words needed. Just seeing him stare at her was all she wanted right then and there.

Giving a small smile in return, Aerrow let his eyes shut once more. His hand slowly lowered from her face to his side as his head fell limp against the deck. Piper nodded to herself as she watched him fall back into a deep sleep. "Sleep. That…sounds like a great idea." She muttered to herself. Those where the last words she remembered before her headache got the better of her. Falling back off of her knees, Piper felt the world spin around her before she let herself fall backwards into darkness.

* * *

**Author's Note**: This could honestly go in every single direction known to man. But, I'm not done tormenting these two yet. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to Read and Review!


	20. Awakening

**Author's Notes**: Oh hai! I'm living. This chapter was VERY hard to write. I didn't know what was gonna happen myself until I finished it. I know what I wanna do after this, but its a matter of how I guess. I hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter Twenty**

Awakening

Time seemed to have stopped all about Aerrow. The void he slept in was comforting and almost everlasting. It seemed too serene to be real. Was he dead? The question itself made his aching head shake in disagreement. 'I can't be dead,' The thought echoed through the young man's subconscious. 'You aren't supposed to feel any pain after you're dead. And right now, my chest is killing me and so is my head.'

A soft touch came upon his forehead, halting any and all of the thoughts he had. It was gentle and warm, almost familiar to him. He could feel his aching body relax, all pain vanishing as he took a deep breath in. Though it seemed impossible, Aerrow felt as if this touch was familiar. Something that had happened before, but it was like nothing more than a faint memory that he couldn't quite figure out.

He felt his tongue lick at his unnaturally dry lips, forcing out a raspy voice. "…m…mom?" It was a childish thought, but if he had died, it was a small hope.

A soft voice chuckled at his words. "Sorry little sky knight. But you aren't there just yet." The touch brushed away some of his bangs gently as she let her chuckle echo. "Why are you still here Aerrow?"

The question made his aching head feel worse. "What….what do you mean?" He wanted to open his eyes, to see who he was talking to, but his body persisted against him. "I'm….comfortable here. I don't want to move."

"Everyone is worried for you Aerrow."

"…worried? Why…why are they worried?"

The voice once again let out a coo of soft laughter. "You set me free young knight…let me do the same for you."

But before he could find the weak words to answer, a soft kiss came to his brow, letting a gasp escape his lips. It was like a small breath of fresh air filled his lungs. He could feel energy begin to surge through his body, trying to force his limps to move once more. His head felt as if someone had pulled him up from underwater, every thought slowly beginning to register. It was that moment, that he could hear something. It was faint, as if slowly drifting away from him. And yet, there was only one thing he could understand.

"No matter what Aerrow…live on. It's what they would want."

Before he could let out a shout in response, the red head felt his head tilt back slightly…and he fell.

* * *

Aerrow slowly felt his eyes strain open, letting a few blinks pass to help straighten out his blurred vision. Warm sunlight flooded the room while a light breeze carried in through an open window. It was a very familiar sight, that of the ceiling and walls of his cabin upon the Condor. He let his head tilt to the side, though even that smallest action seemed painful. Four chairs were beside his bed, while a small bowl with a damp cloth hanging from its edge sat on his end table. The room seemed to be cleaner than normal, for his uniform was folded neatly upon his desk chair, his weapons back upon their spots on the wall.

Shifting slightly, Aerrow felt as if his blankets had begun to weigh a ton. Averting his gaze back to this bed, it was found not to be just his imagination. At least four heavy blankets had been placed on top of him, including the two that he normally had on his bunk. He felt his body strain slightly, trying to push them off of him. Slowly, he moved himself into the upright position, though it seemed to take every ounce of his strength to do so. With one massive push, he moved them away to expose his body to the breeze.

The red head felt his face grow pale at the sight. His chest was covered in thick white bandages that covered most of his upper torso. Around his right arm, was another bandage that wrapped down to just above his elbow. Though he couldn't because of his pajama pants, it felt as if his lower left leg was covered as well. Reaching up slowly to his head, there was another one about his head, his bangs hanging over them slightly.

"What…what the?" he found his voice at last, though like in his dream it seemed raspy. Bringing his hand to his throat, he gulped slightly, trying to rid himself of the lump that seemed to have formed. "I don't….understand. What?"

Closing his eyes, Aerrow tried to think. The only thoughts that came to his mind was a rushing wave of pain course through his chest and then into his head. He felt as if had woken up from one of his terrible nightmares, after the point where he would normally apologize to Radarr for kicking him off the bed.

'_Aerrow, everyone is worried about you…'_

The voice was soft in the back of his mind, causing the red head to open his eyes once more. "The others…" he muttered, letting his mind try and find focus. His vision now clearer as the sleep vanished from them, Aerrow attempted to rise from his bed. Slowly, he brought his feet around to the side and moved to put some form of pressure on his legs. They wobbled slightly, but nothing that was too painful for him not to bear. Straightening his sore back up, he pushed himself up.

It felt like he hadn't used his legs in forever. He took a small step, feeling his center of balance switch and the room spin around him. Shaking his head, he pushed forward, somehow managing to make it to the other side of his room. The door opened automatically as staggered, taking a firm hold of the door frame for some kind of support.

'What's…going on? Why do I feel so weak?' he thought, pushing off and into the hallway.

His pace to the bridge was a slow one. Keeping his hand upon the walls for some kind of crutch, Aerrow struggled through the ship. In the back of his mind, he hoped that one of the others would come out from their rooms or the kitchen as he passed, just so he could find another form of support other than a wall. With every stride, the bandaged area around his stomach shot his system with pain. It was enough that he almost felt like he was going to be sick, though he shoved the lump down in his throat and kept himself moving. His breath kept growing shorter, making his head feel like he was drowning again. But he knew that he had to see the others. They were for some reason worried, and he as their leader needed to make sure that everything was alright.

Pausing, Aerrow leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath. For all the times he had strolled down the hallways to the bridge, he never thought he would ever take that for granted. It was almost like the hardest workout he had ever put himself through, and he had only just made it a few feet outside of the bridge. Every inch of him hurt and ached as his vision threatened him with darkness.

"What are we supposed to do now?"

The voice brought Aerrow's focus back from his own pain. It was Junko's voice. He could have recognized that sound anywhere. Pushing himself up slightly, the red head continued on, straining his focus away from his pain to the words that echoed through the hallways.

"At least we got the counsel off us to drop the treason charges," Starling's voice explained, each word seemed to be filled with disgust. "But that still doesn't answer the question about what will happen to him. Even though they dropped them for now, doesn't mean that they will forgive these actions so quickly."

"It's been almost four weeks," Finn's voice told, "And not even a sign of him coming out of it. We've done everything that the doctors on Atmosia told us to do and…nothing."

"Perhaps the mind worms infested him while in the hospital. If that's the case, then there is no getting him back now…." Stork's voice told, still paranoid as ever.

Coming up to the doorway, Aerrow placed his hand against the door frame. He panted slightly as he let himself peer inside the bridge. There, sitting around the meeting table was the crew that he felt as if he hadn't seen in ages. Starling sat amongst them, her face sullen and cold. None of them made eye contact with each other as the conversation had halted. Radarr sat perched upon the table beside Piper, letting the girl scratch behind his ears lightly. Though the little creature could never resist enjoying such a simple action, he too was quiet.

The mood made Aerrow wonder what had happened. The words they spoke confused him completely. What charges? What treason? Nothing seemed to make sense. He knew that he had been feeling sick, but there was no way that he could have missed that much. Summoning up more of his strength, Aerrow moved to pull himself up and into the doorway.

Piper sighed as she moved her hand away from Radarr's head. "All we can do now is hope and pray." Raising her gaze up slightly, she looked up towards the door. "I mean…we have to just hope that…" The girl paused mid-sentence, letting a small gasp escape her. Her eyes widened as she slowly began to rise up from her chair. "Aerrow…"

The young sky knight stood in the doorway to the bridge, panting slightly as the remainder of the team looked up as well. He looked about at them, his eyes filled with sleep and what looked like slight confusion. Aerrow's chest heaved in and out, as if standing there was a challenge.

"Aerrow! Buddy! You're awake!" Finn screamed, jumping from his chair in excitement.

Starling as well rose to her feet, a smile spreading across her features. "Welcome back Aerrow. We were worried we would never see you again."

"Guys…I…" Aerrow panted out. There were a million and one questions that he wanted to try and find out the answers to. What were they meaning with the counsel and the four weeks? He felt himself stagger slightly against his over-running mind. He tried desperately to focus his mind, but there was too much pain. His chest and stomach felt as if they were going to explode as he reached out for the door frame once more. Bringing his hand up to his head, he closed his eyes, trying desperately to keep himself from blacking out.

"Uh oh. Someone catch him! He's gonna—"

* * *

"Well…that went well."

"Oh quiet Finn."

"Come on Aerrow. Drink this…it will help."

Aerrow cringed at the sound of the voices beating against his already throbbing skull. Opening his eyes, his vision had once again blurred. Six figures were huddled about him, all looking down at him. He could recognize them as his team, though very out of focus. Piper was trying to pour a sweet drink into his closed lips. Gasping to try and get a deep breath, he parted his lips and ended up swallowing a flood.

He gagged slightly as he was sat up. "What the?" Aerrow muttered to himself, staring at the others who watched him carefully. He was on the floor, though the others had all come down to be eye level with him.

"Are you alright?" Starling muttered, placing her hand to his back gently.

Looking down from the woman, Aerrow shook his head slightly. "I'm…dizzy." He muttered, feeling his stomach churn as the room seemed to spin around him. The comment was weak, having their once happy expressions turn to ones with worry. He brought his hand to his head, closing his eyes once more.

"That's not a surprise," Stork's voice piped in, causing the red head to look up at him. The Merb's face seemed to swirl in and out of focus as Aerrow stared at him, looking for an answer. "You lost a lot of blood. Even with the transfusion at the hospital, you are still trying to recover whatever was lost. Then again, it's a miracle that you were able to get to the bridge all together."

Aerrow blinked at the words, "Hospital? Recover? What…." He let his voice trail off, rubbing his head with his hand. "What's going on? What are you taking-?"

A long slender finger rested upon Aerrow's lips, silencing him almost immediately. Starling had moved to the side of him, keeping a firm hold upon one of his shoulders to give him some kind of support. "Too many questions there Aerrow," she told with a rare soft grin. "Right now, you need to rest. Everything else can wait until you are strong enough to stand on your own two feet again."

Despite every ounce of his being saying to ignore her, the red head knew it better than to question her. He was tired; maybe even too tired to care. Though, he was very curious none the less about what his team had meant from their conversation. He could feel his eyes growing heavy again, despite his attempts to shake it away. Looking up at her, Aerrow only gave Starling a nod in agreement.

"Alright then. Finn, Junko. Please take Aerrow back to his room for some more rest."

As Aerrow felt himself be lifted to his feet again, the last words he heard came from his blond wingman. "Don't worry bud. We won't let anything happen to you. Not again."

* * *

Never, in all the years that Aerrow had known his squadron, had he seen them look so sullen and depressed. It was as if someone and sucked the life itself from each member of his team, letting them each find the worst possible thought in their mind. Well, except maybe Stork. But he was a rare exception to that cause. Even he seemed more down than usual.

It seemed like ages past before he once more opened his eyes. Sure enough, he was back in his room, laying still in his bed as he had woken up before. There were less blankets this time around, making it somewhat easier to sit up. Though, even that action took him a moment to think all the way through. He still felt his muscles strain from the once simple task of sitting up. And yet, Aerrow felt tired of just being in a resting position. He needed to sit up, if anything, to stretch his legs and back.

As he came into a sitting position, he ran his bandaged hand through his hair. "Welcome back once again Aerrow." The voice made him jump slightly as he looked off to his side. There, posed ever so still at his desk was Starling. The woman had removed all of her armor, giving a much more relaxed look to her persona. Her arms sat crossed about her chest, something black draped over them. Her gaze was different than before; a distant coldness in her eyes made a chill roll down Aerrow's whole body.

"Starling," he began, slowly moving into a sitting position.

"I hope you don't mind," she began once more, ignoring him. "But I have asked your team to remain quiet while I talk." Pushing away from the desk, she slowly began to move across the room to one of the chairs beside his bed. Out of the corner of his eye, the young man could see his team standing in silence by the door, all with blank looks upon their faces. Aerrow couldn't even begin to find the words to describe the tension in the room. He could feel a twinge of pain from the wound on his chest as he watched the woman sit, crossing her legs and keeping the item tightly tucked in her arms.

Taking in a deep breath, Starling leaned back, looking Aerrow square in the eye. "First off, if you want to ask me anything, then please do so now. It might take some of the tension out of this."

Thinking for a moment, Aerrow slowly rubbed some of the sleep from his eyes. "How long have I been out?"

The question made Starling smile a bit, letting the hardness vanish from her eyes. "Including the three days after you passed out on the bridge, I would say about four weeks in total. As Stork said, you lost a lot of blood and your body was beaten up pretty badly."

The movement was quick to try and swing his legs around to the floor, causing him to flinch slightly. He could see Piper move slightly, but Junko's firm grasp on her shoulder kept her in place. Looking to the elder knight, Aerrow took in a deep breath to stop the pain. "But where did I get beaten up so badly? The Dark Ace and I barely did any damage to each other when I fought him."

That lightness Aerrow had seen was fleeting as she became stern once more. "Answer me this: What is the last thing you remember?"

Closing his eyes in thought, Aerrow rubbed his temples slightly. "I…vaguely remember seeing you and Piper. You…felt my forehead for a fever and then…I woke up feeling like I couldn't move and I was all bandaged up."

"So…you don't remember a thing…" Starling's voice was soft, as if she had tried to keep the thought to herself. She closed her eyes, lowering her head in thought. "This…is going to make this even worse."

Sliding slowly to the edge of the bed, Aerrow did not break his eyes awake from the woman. "What are you taking about? Make what worse?"

Unfolding her arms, Starling slid the item out into open palms in front of the red head. She didn't even try to bring her eyes up to look at him as she sat in silence, awaiting for him to make the next move. The black folded cloth sat there in the low light of his room's worn out light bulb looking singed and worn out. Looking up briefly at his squadron behind Starling, Aerrow saw nothing but worried gazes. Piper had her mouth slightly agape, trying desperately to hold back any words that she might have wanted to say. Finn and Junko each had a hand upon her shoulders, looking ready to hold her back if anything were to happen. Stork and Radarr just watched in silence, their expressions almost difficult to read. Taking hold of the item in question, Aerrow placed it upon his lap. Slowly he began to unwrap the cloth, his curiosity overtaking him.

"Piper told us that during your fight with the Dark Ace, you encountered a strange crystal." Starling spoke softly as he continued to unfold the fabric. "It was a weapon that Cyclonis herself had worked on for months, trying for it to be perfect for a fight with you." She could see from the corner of her eye that Aerrow had finished, letting the garment lay upon his lap as his eyes narrowed in thought. "He dealt a direct blow to you, causing those burns to your chest. But the disappeared, along with the crystal because…well," she stopped finally letting her eyes come up once more.

Aerrow sat there, his eyes narrowed in question at the garment now upon his lap. It was a heavy leather trench coat, small pieces of flattened out armor still attached to places on the sleeves. It was torn and burned in so many places, it hardly seemed wearable anymore. Upon the back of it, there was the large steel symbol of the Talons, though seemingly very battered and worn out. Slowly, Aerrow ran his fingers along the edge of the symbol, letting the cool metal graze his fingers gently.

"This…this is…" he stuttered out, trying to place words into his mouth that wouldn't come.

Starling took in a deep breath. "Aerrow, that crystal was something called a controller. It had the ability to let another being control your actions. Cyclonis used this to control you."

But Aerrow wasn't listening to her words anymore. They seemed like nothing more than faint babbles in the distance. Removing his hand slowly from the design, he let his eyes follow his hand to his chest where the bandages were still tightly wrapped about him. He closed his eyes slowly as he let his chilled hands touch his chest.

It was as if that familiar underwater feeling came back to him. He felt his entire chest tighten up as a twinge of pain came to his brow. Aerrow couldn't help but flinch at the pain, bringing his hand to his head. It was like when he had been on the bridge after the crates were opened. His mind began to swirl up in confusion, images and voices flooding over his thoughts in a scattered and painful manner.

"_You keep fighting on and on. And for what? To keep being shoved down by the all powerful Cyclonia."_

"_Do not fail me my knight."_

"_Dude, don't you recognize me? It's Finn. Ya know?"_

The image of Cyclonis' throne room came into view, though he was seated beside the woman's throne. The sight of the Dark Ace falling limp upon the floor, bloody and defeated flashed before him. His blades were before him, glowing a deep devilish red, while Piper stood firm with her staff up defending herself. She was bleeding and bruised, her gaze one that could have killed him. These and more images swirled up within his mind, forcing him to bring up his other hand to his head.

"Aerrow? Are you alright?" Starling's voice questioned throughout the madness that seemed to seep into his mind all at once. He kept his eyes shut tightly, ignoring the woman's question. Rising to his feet, he let the coat fall to his feet. Standing there for a moment, he panted heavily in an attempt to stop the voices and images from splitting his skull open.

For a moment, Aerrow could see himself beside Cyclonis once more, a smile upon his face._ "Bring down the Storm Hawks?" _he muttered, seeing Cyclonis smile at his words_. "It would be an honor to spill their blood for you_." He took up the woman's hand swiftly from his face, giving it a small kiss.

Finally, Aerrow felt himself ready to explode. Coming to his knees, he felt himself loose the rest of his breath. He doubled over in pain, letting his head come to the cool metal floor. From his eyes, he could feel tears slowly beginning to flow down the sides of his face. "What…did I do?" he muttered softly, slowly beginning to repeat himself as he sat there, feeling for the first time in a while, completely and totally powerless.

Piper could no longer keep herself in one spot. Shrugging off the hands of her two comrades, she was surprised to see that they let her go so easily. Running across the room, she slid to the floor beside her knight, placing her hands to his quivering shoulders. It had been the first time that she had ever heard him crying. It was not proper for a sky knight to show weakness, but there were always exceptions for everything. And this was definitely one of those situations.

"Aerrow," she muttered out softly. "Please, try to breath. Try to calm down."

For a moment, Aerrow's voice stopped muttering slowly forcing him to gaze up at her. His eyes were now beat red, making the green almost seem like perfect emeralds. He had grown paler as he sat up, slowly looking to the girl. He shook as he moved his hands away from his head, placing one to her shoulder and the other to her face. All Aerrow could do was sit there and stare into her eyes.

Blinking once more, tears streamed down his face, "…you…killed me." His voice was dry and nothing more than a whisper. Piper's eyes widened slightly at his words as he let his hold upon her slip away.

"Aerrow…"

But he couldn't take another second of the words and images running over his mind. He let his body feel the weakness again. The numbness that would allow him to fall back to sleep seemed all too perfect to give up at that very moment. He knew that she was trying to keep him up. Piper's lips were moving, but no words reached him. He felt himself slip forward towards the floor once more.

Aerrow saw the girl catch him, holding him in her lap. She was now surrounded by the others, all with that worried look that Aerrow had no reason to deserve. Looking up at her, he closed his eyes slowly as the last of tears came rolling down his face, "I'm sorry…Piper…"

* * *

**Author's Note**: Oh dear. This is almost over. So sad. But I hope you all enjoyed that chapter! Don't forget to read and review!


	21. Lost

**Author's Notes:** Oh hi everyone! Thought I forgot about this story, didn't I? Well not a chance! I am very sad that Storm Hawks ended though. But, just remember, this is NOT CANON. Alternate timelines and whatnot! Real life has gotten in the way sadly, but the last few chapters are done and are ready to go into editing. So, we'll be wrapping this up within the next few weeks. So, I hope you all enjoy the remaining chapters of Master of Puppets!

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**Chapter Twenty-One**

Lost

Silence was not something that could easily come by the Condor. No matter what time of day it was, there would always be something that could easily keep awake any person who was no used to the ship. Pipes clanking, Junko's snoring, Finn's loud stereo, Radarr raiding the kitchen: all things that made the old ship home to the small squadron. It was all those small things that made such a ship a home. And it was all because of one person that it was even possible for them to have it. But now, it was because of him, that the ship seemed as silent as the grave.

Starling stood out on the bridge, letting the early morning breeze catch at her hair. The sky above her was still a deep shade of blue, though the smallest hints of the sunrise could be seen nearing at the horizon. Her hands held tightly to the rail, supporting her weight as she let out a small yawn. It had been a sleepless night once more for the older knight, knowing that there could be a chance of Aerrow waking again. She ordered the others to bed, knowing that they needed the rest more than she did. After all, they were still young.

Resting her arms against the railing, Starling let her eyes narrow at the thought. Young? The Storm Hawks? After what they had been through, it was nearly laughable to even think that. They had witnessed the ultimate betrayal and one even killed their own leader. There was no way that anyone could call them children again.

Since she had told Aerrow what had really happened, the knight remained held up in his room. He would not allow anyone in and barely ate. He was barely awake since he was still in recovery from his wounds, though the whole mood of the crew dropped what seemed even lower than when he had been gone. Sure, he was there. But only in body and not in mind or spirit. The soul of the very team was still dead and not even Starling had the answers on how to bring him back.

Everyone kept to themselves for the most part. Stork and Junko continued to do repairs on the Condor while Radarr scurried about as well, fixing up the skimmers. Piper buried herself within maps and books, claiming she was fine and that there was nothing left to discuss. Finn was either in his room or in the hanger, working on his weapons for absentmindedly strumming on his guitar strings. Every drop of the energy that she had remembered seeing from this squadron was no more.

The wind sent a chill down her spine, causing the knight to look up once more. She smiled slightly, letting her gaze fall once more. "Nice to see you again..." she spoke softly, letting the wind take her words.

Shuffled footsteps moved slowly out the opened door towards her. Though there was a slight hesitation about them. Starling could only glance slightly over her shoulder, smiling slightly. Aerrow rested against the steel railing of the balcony. The late evening air kissed his face gently, letting him take in a deep, soothing breath. Cool breezes came and went, brushing his red hair about his emotionless eyes. He wore no shirt, though the bandages were still tight about his whole mid-torso and right arm. Dark blue sleep pants with no shoes didn't seem to phase him in the least as he kept his eyes forward, ignoring the woman beside him completely. He sighed heavily, averting his eyes to the sky. Dark clouds rolled through, concealing the heavens from his sight.

"Aerrow," Starling started softly, letting her gaze follow his back to the sky above, "I should be telling you to get back in bed. But," she too, let out a soft sigh. "I don't think you would listen to me."

"Five weeks of being bed-ridden is my limit," he muttered, still looking towards the sky. His voice was horse and exhausted, sounding like he needed a few drinks of water.

Nodding slightly, Starling chuckled. "You are certainly your father's son." Silence hung between the two for just a brief moment. Aerrow leaned onto the railing slightly, using it more fore support than anything else. The words she had spoken seemed to hit a nerve in some way, though how exactly she could not tell. Even though his eyes were their rich green once again, they were still cold and distant. "…you remember everything now, don't you?"

It really wasn't a question. It was as if Starling could read through every serious face and action that could have come from him. "Some things are still a little fuzzy but," Aerrow let his hands tighten on the railing slightly, the frustration beginning to build. "Every time I close my eyes now, I just see these images. Flashes of things that I did; that happened when I…" his voice trailed off, glancing towards the older knight. A soft stare greeted his tired green eyes as he placed more of his weight onto his arms. "I…I'm…"

"Another word from you Aerrow and I will personally slap you for any thought you might have." Though with the harsh words, there was the softest smile on her face. Placing her hand to the side of his face, Starling forced his gaze to lock with hers. "Not a single person here hates you. And you did nothing wrong."

Looking down, Aerrow let his eyes find his bare feet. "I told Piper that she killed me. She killed me Starling. And, no matter how many times I apologize to her, I just feel that she will never forgive me for what I put her through."

Shaking her head, Starling tapped the young man's cheek lightly. "Where is the Aerrow that I know and respect? Where is the knight that I once knew? Who was never afraid of anything?" She shook her hand against his face, trying to force the words into his ears. "All you have been doing is hiding from what you know to be the truth. The Aerrow I know would never hide."

"I think he actually did die in that fight," Aerrow averted his gave downward to try and escape the intense stare Starling had seemed to master. "I feel like I don't even know who or what I really am anymore." Looking down at his hands, the red head could see that they were now trembling. He held them out flat, fingers spread wide, letting every callus and scrap be seen clearing in the morning light.

A sigh escaped him, causing Starling to release him from her hold. "I'm the son of one of the greatest sky knights of all time. And the nephew of one of the worst enemies of Atmos; and I have been both."

Starling took a step back from him, causing Aerrow to look up at her once more. Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew her hand in a tight fist. "I can't help you find who you are. But I can start you down on the right path." Taking up his hand in her own, Starling placed something cold into his hand. Smiling, she pulled back her hand to reveal a small crystal on a thin leather cord. There was no shine or glow to the stone, for a large crack was down the middle with a small chunk missing from the center completely.

"This is…Piper's." he said, letting the cord wrap about his fingers slightly.

"She told me she refuses to wear it again until you are back to normal." Starling said softly. "It's the one thing that binds you two. At least, that's what she was told apparently."

Before he had come out to the bridge, Aerrow had hobbled past Piper's room. The door had been left open a small crack, letting him peer inside for a brief moment. The young strategist had been in her bed, tossing and turning in her sleep restlessly. For the few moments that he lingered at the door, the knight heard her mutter in her sleep. She was crying, sobbing almost as she called for him to come back. To remember who he was. The thought was almost like a knife to his heart, causing him to come out here for air to begin with.

"Binds us…together?" he questioned aloud, closing his hand tightly about the crystal.

Aerrow turned away from her and look back to the sky. The clouds were beginning to thin out slightly, letting the sunrise start to paint the sky. Faint splashes of color were faint upon the horizon as small beams of light began to flow into the vast sea of blue. Closing his eyes, he let the breeze kiss his face once more. It was a feeling that he knew and loved. His father was the one to show him just was it meant to be free and experience that feeling as a person should. Taking a small step back, the red head quickly turned from Starling. He let his hands ball into fists at his sides as his back straightened.

"Back to bed with you then?" she questioned as he started away, heading for the door to the bridge.

He paused, glancing over his shoulder once more at Starling. "No," his voice was low and sharp.

A smirk returned to her lips as he started once more for the door. No explanation was needed nor any more words needed to be spoken. "Very well then," the knight said, bowing her head slightly. Turning back to watch the horizon, Starling crossed her arms to the railing. "I'll make sure the others stay put. Take your time. We'll be waiting."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yeah. This was originally one long chapter. But I decided to break everything down for easier reading. I hope you all enjoyed this and don't forget to read and review!

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	22. Guilt and Forgiveness

**Author's Notes:** I told you guys I had something for you all. Now, this isn't the last chapter. There are only two more left after this one sadly. And this WHOLE chapter was one that I was looking forward to writing since the beginning. But no worries. I have a few last things planned for this story and something that will be coming soon. Anyways, enjoy everyone!

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**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Guilt and Forgiveness

The ride seemed to take no time at all. Aerrow easily slipped out into the hanger to his ride and was able to take off without waking any of the others. It wasn't that he didn't want them to not know where he was going. But it was something that had to be done on his own terms. Radarr didn't even come with him. This was between him and his own ghosts. He grabbed a simple button up work shirt from the bench, though left the front of it opened. The cool morning air felt nice against his skin as he rode along the empty sky. He found a pair of his spare boots, knowing that he might have to do some walking to get where he wanted to go.

Sunlight hadn't even reached the terra as he landed his bike in a small clearing on the outside of the town. He concealed his skimmer under some spare branches and brush, though it was more out of habit than anything else. There was no one else around for miles; no one there to interfere. A slight misting rain lingered over the area as he started up a small path towards the town. Though it was overgrown and full of roots from overgrown trees, Aerrow knew the path was there. After all, he had walked it so many times before.

The cool rain splattered onto his face, melting back his long hair to his neck. A light wind brushed his body as he walked, dampening that bandages around his torso. The town was just as he and his team had left it the last time they had stumbled upon it. Buildings still in the heaps of rubble and debris scattered across the once beautiful cobblestone town square. Store front windows were just as he remembered, though all the glass had been blow out and now littered the ground. He could smell bits of the charred wood in the air, the rain bringing out some of the stronger smells of the area. Sounds of children crying, people suffering danced in the back of his thoughts, though he resisted falling victim to them like last time.

Memories, lives, hopes, and dreams had all been engulfed by the flames of greed and desire of Cyclonis. He walked past each shop and home slowly, making sure to take in every last little detail. Everything seemed to have some memory linked to his thoughts. The machine shop where he watched the mechanic work on the skimmers for his father or where his mother always went shopping; it was all still there, though just mere memories now.

'All…..my…..fault….' he muttered quietly.

His light walk became a jog. The mud clung to his boots and pants as he moved towards where he had found the plaque before. Aerrow's breath grew heavy from the lack of actual moving he had been doing. His whole body felt out of shape for his legs were beginning to feel weak and shake from just the pressure of standing. The misty rain slowly began to lift from the small town, leaving the air feeling cool and damp. Though, despite the urge to go to the memorial once more, something told him to walk just a little bit further.

Moving past the center of town, Aerrow saw a sight that made his heart stop in his chest. There was a small house that seemed a bit further back from the rest of the buildings. It was surrounded by trees and small bushes that looked like they once had roses growing on them. It was all a dark, charred black; though the house still seemed to be in decent shape. The front porch was still in one piece, give or take one or two planks missing while the shutters hung off the blown out windows. Hints of white could still be seen through the layers of char as Aerrow moved closer taking in every inch of it.

"This is…my house." He said aloud to no one. The words just had to be spoken, although he was unsure of why. Thoughts came back to him of nights when it would be raining and thundering and his mother would come and sit beside him in his room. The room that was to the far right from where he was looking; Aerrow knew it to be his. He could almost see himself as a younger kid, looking out that window at the night sky, waiting for his dad to come back. The thoughts of playing in the yard with Radarr as his mother sat on the stairs, watching and laughing with a laugh that could make anyone smile. And then, running to the front door to meet his father when he came back from a mission, only to be scooped up onto his shoulders and go running around the yard, re-enacting the stories he would tell him.

"Mom…dad," His words were quiet and under his breath. The tears forming in his eyes replaced the cold rain upon his face. Trembling hands and lips replaced that of a man that came to be seen as a strong individual. And yet, he swallowed harshly, forcing the tears away from his eyes and the churning feeling in his stomach to subside. "I will not cry. You died to save me. You showed all the strength in the world to protect me. And I will do the same."

"Those are some strong words, Aerrow."

There was no shock or surprise to hearing the voice. Raising his head up slightly, Aerrow straightened up his back, trying to present himself as the once strong leader that everyone knew and respected. Turning to look over his shoulder, the knight caught a glance of the origin of the voice.

His dark hair was messy and wild about his face, for he was lacking his Talon's helmet. A long black trench hung off of his tall and lanky persona, though there was something very different about him. There was no Talon's uniform underneath or armor that blazed with the symbol of Cyclonia. Instead, there was only a simple, black shirt and pants. A small holster hung about his waist, though what kind of weapon he had was hidden by the coat. Upon his back, his sword sat perched in its normal resting place, ready to be draw within a moments notice.

"I thought…I killed you," Aerrow muttered softly, finding the words almost difficult to say. A small lump grew in this throat as his mouth became dry.

The man only could smirk at the words, shaking his head slightly. "You didn't kill me." He said, taking a few steps towards him. From where Aerrow was standing, he knew that the man was right in front of the small plaque in memory of the slaughter that he caused. Letting his head drop slightly, his black hair fell into his face and shielded his eyes from sight. "You killed the Dark Ace."

Facing the man completely, Aerrow let his green eyes stare him down. There were so many words that he wanted to say. So many things built up inside of him for what seemed to be forever, to the point that he was going to explode unless he screamed. It was his fault for everything that happened. For his parents, what happened to him, and for destroying the one thing he loved the most: his squadron. Aerrow let his hands ball up into fists, letting the rage begin to rise up in his blood. And yet, no words would leave him. Despite all of his anger, there was nothing that was able to be said. He watched as the man took a knee before the plaque, letting his fingers brush off the dirt.

"'Can never take the sky from us,'" The Dark Ace spoke the words softly, causing Aerrow to draw in a short gasp. "Your father lived by those words until the day he died." Raising his head up, a stern expression met the boy's gaze. "You remember this, don't you?"

Aerrow felt shock overtake his anger. The eyes that met him were not the red ones he remembered from all the countless battles. There was no longer a nightmare like intensity burning through them. They were a crystal blue that seemed almost flawless. Faint hints of green could be seen etched about the edges as the man blinked at him, a smile creeping upon his lips. There was no horror and evil within his grin as he rose slowly back to his feet.

"…Ace," the name rolled off Aerrow's lips naturally.

Chuckling to himself, the raven haired man kept his distance from the knight, slowly moving about the square of the town. The rain was gone, for hints of the sunrise that Aerrow had seen earlier were faint on the horizon. The sky was turning a dim shade of orange and pink as daybreak was approaching quickly. "That night," Ace spoke, looking around at each building with a strange curiosity flickering in his eyes, "was one of the darkest of my life. I knew what I was doing and yet, in the back of my mind, I was screaming to stop myself." Looking down, Ace sighed. "I couldn't control my actions."

Taking a small step towards the man, Aerrow felt that small twinge of rage once more. "That's no excuse!" Picking up his pace, the red head was across to the square in a heartbeat. His feet were moving on there own, trying to bring himself closer to the man. "You killed everyone. My mother. My father," he bit his lips as the words, trying to stop them from flowing out. But his mind was no longer in control. Stopping not even a foot away from the man's back, Aerrow let his voice raise even louder. "He…he was your brother! Not just in battle but in real life. A blood bond that you broke because you wanted power!"

Once more, the uncomfortable silence rang into the air. Aerrow let his breath pant out, feeling the sudden strain. His knees felt weak as his whole body shook, exhaustion beyond anything he could imagine trying to move its way into his mind. The image of Ace was slightly blurred, forcing his hand to eyes. He closed them tightly, hoping for the spinning to stop.

A firm hand came to his shoulder, causing Aerrow to stiffen. "What am I going to do with you Aerrow? Starling let you come out here alone like that?"

* * *

_The words were familiar to him. He could feel something twinge in the back of his mind, though knowing that there were more thoughts and memories there was almost too much at that point. There was small flicker of what seemed to be the village, though nothing had yet been destroyed. Aerrow saw his younger self kneeling on the ground, tears running down the sides of his face as he clutched his elbow close to his body, letting a small trickle of blood roll down his arm. Radarr sat beside him, looking at the wound with the utmost curiosity._

_A few older boys were standing about him as well, their laugher echoing throughout the late afternoon air. "Some sky knight you'll make." One of them smirked, kicking some dirk onto Aerrow's knees. Radarr growled at them, threatening a bite to their ankles._

_"And you're supposed to be the next sky knight for the Storm Hawks?" Another one spoke, his oversized arms crossed over his fat stomach._

_"We might as well hand ourselves over to Cyclonia now!" The last one finished, causing a roar of laughter once more._

_Fresh tears streamed down his face as Aerrow clung to his scrapped up arm even tighter. Radarr continued to growl menacingly, though for a pup of his size, he posed no threat until he too grew a bit more._

_"Problem here boys?" A voice questioned loudly, silencing the roars. Looking up, the four boys were met with a stern icy glare. Ace's hair was shorter, though even more wild. He had on his uniform, the emblem of the Storm Hawks glowing brilliantly on his shoulder as his hands rested on his waist, looking down upon the small scene._

_"No sir Ace!" One of the boys spoke proudly, straightening up with his friends in tow. They all smiled innocently as they looked up at the wingman, waiting to hear what he had to say next. "We were just playing with Aerrow and his pet."_

_Ace raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Oh really?" he spoke, glancing over at Aerrow tearing on the ground and then at the three innocent smiles looking up at him. Crossing his arms, he smirked with a small chuckle. "If you were really friends with Aerrow, then you would know one very important thing,"_

_"And what's that Ace?" One of the other boys questioned, looking up at the man with a look of question on his false guiltless face._

_Pointing down at Radarr, the raven haired man continued to smirk. "Radarr doesn't like being called 'a pet'." Withdrawing his pointed finger, Ace tossed his hair from his face. "Now, I suggest you kids head on home before I tell your parents just what kind of 'playing' you have been up to with the sky knight's son. And," he leaned in close, causing the smiles to quickly fade. "If I catch you messing with him again, you will have to answer to the knight himself, understood?"_

_There were no words spoken as the boys quickly bolted from sight, dashing away towards the crowded town square like cowering dogs from a fray. Straightening up from his hunched over position, Ace smiled as he looked back to small crying figure on the ground. "Are you okay Aerrow? Radarr?"_

_The small red head sniffled slightly, wiping some of the tears from his green eyes. "I…I coulda taken care of them Uncle! You…you didn't have to…" but the sentence was silenced by more sniffles and small sobs._

_Softening his grin, Ace slowly took a knee in front of the young boy. Looking to the small creature, he held out his hand slowly, letting Radarr sniff at his hand. The small creature was quick to accept him, letting himself be scratched behind the ears. He let out a small coo of enjoyment from the action._

_"You need to be careful Aerrow," Ace spoke quietly, causing the red head to finally show his tear-stained face. "You may not realize it, but you are very important to the Atmos. It may not seem like it now, but trust me." He looked Aerrow straight in the eye. "You got the makings of greatness in you."_

_Wiping his nose on his shirt sleeve, Aerrow shook his head. "Everyone hates me, Uncle. I don't have any greatness."_

_Ace placed his hand to Aerrow's head, flattening out his already spiky hair. ""What am I going to do with you Aerrow?"

* * *

_

Aerrow didn't speak, letting some of his weight be passed off to the older man. The tears that he saw within his younger self finally came to his eyes. His knees gave out, allowing his dead weight to fall to the ground below. Ace held tight to his arm and uninjured shoulder, allowing him to hit the ground softly. The small droplets streamed down in cheeks in silence as he let his head lean against the man's shoulder.

"Easy Aerrow. You're memories are still trying to surface," concern etched on every word. "You're going to be experiencing this for a few more weeks. I had it happen to me as well."

"With every bit of…my being," he finally breathed out, chocking back as he tried to regain a calm tone, "I want to hate you." Looking up to meet Ace's blue gaze, Aerrow shook his head. "…why… can't I hate you for what you did?"

"You never have been able to really hate anyone." He said, lowering himself beside Aerrow upon the soft earth. "A wise man once said you can dislike your family, but you can never hate them." Pushing back to give Aerrow some space, Ace got to his feet. He turned his back to the red head, allowing for him to collect himself without being watched.

Aerrow rubbed his eyes on his sleeve, making sure every trace of tears were gone. The hair was quickly tossed from his damp face as he remained kneeling upon the ground. Looking up to the brightly colored sky, he watched the remaining storm clouds roll off. "All my life, I wanted to be a knight. Even after all my memories of my parents were gone, the one thing I knew was that I wanted to be a knight. And yet, deep down, I knew it was in my blood to protect Atmos." Aerrow let his head fall down to his chest, pushing all of his remaining energy into his legs. "How did you know I would be here?" he muttered, slowly bringing himself to his feet.

Above, the sky had become a dazzling array of reds, oranges, and blues. On the horizon, the sun was rising into the sky, burning away any traces of the lingering night. A soft breeze rushed the man's senses, letting him breath deep. "I knew you would come here once you were strong enough. Everyone who has ghosts eventually need to face them." Turning to face the red head, a small grin came to Ace's face. "There is something that I too…need to face."

"And what would that be?"

Pulling the sword off of his back, Ace pointed the blade outwards towards Aerrow. The steel reflected the sun, making it seem like the edge was on fire. Aerrow was quick to find a weak fighting stance, thinking that maybe the nice guy act was just that: an act. "This sword belongs to the leader of the Storm Hawks. It is a birthright that was passed down from knight to knight." Pulling it back slightly, Ace let his fingers grace the edge one last time, continuing his smile on his face. "Maybe it was jealousy that I never got to be the knight I wanted to be. But know I must grant my brother's wish." And with one strong trust, he threw the energy sword into the earth below.

For a moment, all the red head could do was stare at the blade. In all the times he had met the Dark Ace in battle, he never once thought that he would ever be able to have his enemy throw his weapon down so easily. But that thought had to be quickly dismissed. There was no longer an enemy standing before him. There was only something that Aerrow thought was long gone: family.

"What will you do now?" Aerrow asked, looking back to his uncle.

Ace shrugged, beginning to pull off his coat. "Don't know. I'm still the most wanted man in Atmos. Most likely I will be laying low for a long while." Putting the trench into his hands, he tossed it over to Aerrow, letting the young man catch it without too much trouble. "You'll catch your death if you stay out here any longer. Head back to the Condor."

Adjusting the weight of the coat in his grasp, Aerrow let his eyes narrow at the words. "You aren't going to tell me what happened to you? About anything else?"

But Ace just laughed. Turning on his heels, he headed for the edge of town, down one of the many small paths. Placing his one of his hands into his pockets, the man brought up his other one, giving a small wave to the knight. If there could have been anything else to said, Aerrow was sure that the man was going to keep it to himself. In a way, he was grateful. Taking another look around the town, Aerrow took in the scene of burned rubble. Yes. It was his home. The place where he was born and raised and that the dream of becoming a sky knight was first brought to life. Everywhere there were thoughts and memories of the past. All of the things he wished were still there. And yet, as he watched the man vanish into the overgrown woods of the terra, Aerrow found the first real smile in a very long time.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Leaving this opened for a sequel to this story? Perhaps...*evil grin* Next chapter coming soon! Don't forget to read and review!

* * *


	23. True Self

**Author's Note:** *crawls out of her hole* Amazing. After all this time, I finally finished this. Well, for the most part. We still have an epilogue guys! That's where everything will tie up for this story. The ending finally hit me how I wanted it to wrap up and I hope this works out okay for everyone. Well, let's not delay this any longer. On with the show!

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

True Self

It was roughly an hour after Aerrow left that the team discovered their knight's disappearance. Junko had woken up early to try and get Aerrow to eat something. The red head refused to eat anything unless it was forced upon him by someone else. But when he saw that the knight's room was empty, the Wallop's shout was so loud it shook everyone else from their beds. By the time the others arrived at the sky knight's room, Junko had already searched the place from top to bottom, looking for some sign of where he went. As a group effort, they split up, making sure to search the Condor from end to end, trying to find where Aerrow had vanished to. But, as their frantic search came to an end, they regrouped in the hanger. It was there that they were met with Starling. The knight was sitting on her skimmer, looking surprisingly calm.

"Starling!" Piper shouted as she hurried into the massive room. She, like the others, were still in their sleep clothes. Her dark blue and white pants were complimented by a simple tank top, though her hair was down and unstyled with a slight case of bed head. "It's Aerrow! He's—"

"Gone." The woman finished the sentence without a single flaw, looking up at the group of teens. She held her arms crossed about her chest, not one bit of intensity within her being. "Yes. I know."

Finn stepped up beside Piper, his white wife-beater shirt all askew while blue and yellow flannel pants hung loosely around his waist. "What do you mean 'you know'? You saw what happened?" Starling only nodded, causing the young man to grit his teeth in frustration.

"Would you like to fill us in?" Stork commented, though taking him seriously while wearing a strange green colored pajama set that complimented his skin was next to impossible.

Sliding off her skimmer, the older woman straightened up. She looked about at the confused squadron, finding the only thing she could do was let out a small sigh. "I spoke with Aerrow this morning. He seemed very troubled to the point of not knowing what he wanted anymore. As he left the bridge, I asked if he was heading back to bed, he just said no."

Shock came to Piper when she heard the words. "Well, we have to go look for him! He's still hurt and going out there on his own, he could be attacked!" Rushing to her heliscooter, the girl quickly situated herself into the seat and moved to turn the starter crystal. As she reached for the small blue gem that was normally left in its slot, she found herself reaching for nothing. "My…my starter crystal is gone!"

"I told him," Starling interjected, causing all eyes to fall on her once more. Holding up a small pouch in front of her, she let the sound of crystals rattle from inside. "that I would keep you here and not to let you bother him. And before you even ask," she said, noticing Finn's mouth about to start off on a tangent, she held up a single finger. "No. I don't know where he went."

"Why would Aerrow just take off like that?" Junko questioned, leaning against the edge of the hanger's work bench.

Leaning against the dashboard of her bike, Piper let a saddened expression come to her features. "He's still hurt pretty badly, right? How far could he really go?"

"All I know is that he needs the time alone," Starling explained, though she knew that her words caused questionable looks. Attaching the small pouch to her side, she shot another dark look to them. "Think about it. Regaining memories is a tricky and painful process. For all we know, there could be a lot more in Aerrow's mind that we still have yet to tap into. There could be someone completely different from the person you know and have come to respect. And now, he thinks that he is hated for what he did to you."

"What?" Finn shouted, his eyes widening at the very thought of the words. His body tensed as he hunched over, letting his hands ball into fists. "How could we hate him? He's our sky knight! Our…" He stopped, looking down to the ground, letting his fingers hang loose as quickly as they had tensed. "...our...my best friend."

But Starling just shook her head. "Now is when Aerrow will need you the most. I know you have been trying to give him space. But the more space there is, the more he will drift away from you."

The team all quickly retracted their pleas and demands at the words. It was a thought that none of them seemed to even what to think about. Maybe perhaps they just threw it into the back of their minds, hoping it would not become an issue. Though now, the knight made a clear point. Aerrow had suffered. More than any of them could have even thought humanly possible. There was a lot that had been let out, brought up and it could lead to Aerrow becoming someone completely different. For the better or for the worse was something that could not be judged. But what needed to be made clear was now apparent. They had not been the friends he had needed.

Looking out through the large opened doors of the Condor, Piper let a sigh escape her. She felt like this was her fault. Since Aerrow had come back home, there hadn't been any time to talk to him. He was either resting or flat out refused to see anyone. There was something wrong within their once happy world and it was something she did. How could she expect for him to forgive her so easily? She had killed him and then plead with fate itself to bring him back. And since then, it was almost like the Aerrow she knew was had been left in that void of his mind. She hadn't even bothered to tell the others what had happened that night. When she was in the white light and the oracle herself presented her with the choice; she felt like they would have thought her crazy if she had even tried to tell them what had really occurred. The only person she felt must know was Aerrow himself. And he was not even there for most of it. It was his lifeless body in her arms and a breaking heart.

"The last thing I want," she finally spoke, breaking the silence and setting all gazes to her. She looked out to the open sunrise lit sky, letting the morning breeze run over her and kiss her face without a second thought. "Is to loose him again, Starling." She looked to the others, feeling a soft smile reach her lips. The smallest hint of tears formed at the edges of her eyes, though she kept them in check. "Knowing that he was gone. That we would never seen that silly smile of his ever again or hear that stupid laugh. I don't think I can go through that again."

Junko moved to the girl's side, putting a strong arm around her shoulders to calm her down. The wallop grinned in his normal way, whispering to her that everything would okay. And yet, the young crystal specialist kept her cool and calm thought process in check. She nodded at her friend's words, knowing that they were only there to make her feel better.

Radarr's ears suddenly perked, turning the creature's head away from the others. Lifting his nose into the air, he took in a quick sniff. A smile came to his mouth as he hurried out of the hanger quickly, causing the squadron and Starling to break away from their silence. The small animal hurried and quickly stopped mid-way, taking a spot on the ground as he stared off into the distance. Looking over his shoulder, he nodded in a frantic fashion, pointing skyward.

Raising his hand up to shield his eyes from the almost blinding sun, Finn squinted. There, moving quickly in out on the horizon, was a small skimmer. It was moving with exceptional speed, cutting through the cloud line with precision and grace that it could only be one person. He spun and dipped down quickly out of sight, forcing the others out onto the runway as well, surprise written on their faces. For a moment there was silence with the uncertainty as to where he disappeared to. The roar of the engine shot up over the deck and the sound of skidding tires echoed on the air. Aerrow's skimmer came to a short stop at the edge, the wings retracting in one swift motion. With one last urge of the rider, he spun out his wheels to land sideways, cutting the engine.

Silence rang out once more as the teens and sky knight watched cautiously. Aerrow's red hair hung loosely around his eyes, which were locked on his bike's meters and gauges. He took in a few deep breaths, as if calming down his nerves from the somewhat rough landing. Though, there was one thing that caught the older woman's attention instantly. Covering the old shirt that he had thrown on before he had left sat a long black leather coat that hung off the sides of the bike gracefully. It was nearly identical to his uniform of the Cyclonian army, including the armor and emblem upon its back.

Finn took a small step back into the hanger, uneasy at the sight of the black coat. "Oh great. He's gone to the dark side again," he muttered, thinking back to the all the scars he now had thanks to his friend's actions. "I don't think I can take another beating."

And yet, Radarr let his smile spread even more, running over to the sky knight's side. He launched himself into the air, quickly grabbing onto his normal perch upon his Aerrow's shoulder. He nuzzled into the boy's neck happily, receiving a small scratch behind the ears in return.

Piper could not take her eyes away from the teen before her. Dismounting his bike, Aerrow let the wind catch his jacket. It flared out as he kept his back to his team, looking out over the morning sky once more. His shoulders were broad and proud as his hair was swept up by the gust. She started forward slowly, watching him carefully for any sudden movements. She squinted her eyes, studying the addition to his uniform with question. It took a moment for her to realize that while the coat was a replica of his controlled self, one very important part was different. There, square on his back, the emblem of the Storm Hawks sat proudly, reflecting in the sun's rays.

Aerrow lowered his head, turning to face the rest of his team. Piper froze in her spot, seeing something that she had missed for what seemed like forever: his bright green eyes and a warm smile. He started up the runway slowly still showing some pain from his injuries, though he kept a calm expression upon his features.

"Guys," he finally spoke, snapping everyone from the shocked daze. He stopped, breaking his stare with the rest of them and looked towards the ground. "I'm sorry for everything that I have done to you. Everything I put you though in the last month...it must have been hell."

Finn and the others moved out of the hanger towards where Piper had came to a stop, now only a few mere feet away from Aerrow. "I remembered who I was and what I became. And it was because of my own arrogance, thinking that I needed to hide who I was and what my past was. And I started to question everything I ever did and who I was. But," his smile grew a bit as he chuckled at a thought. "Someone finally knocked the sense back into me. And told me something very important."

Starling crossed her arms, letting her smile shine through. "And that is what, Aerrow?"

The young knight raised his head up high, looking over everyone before him. The words from his uncle echoed through his mind once more, letting himself almost laugh aloud. Radarr jumped from his shoulder and to the group, looking up at his friend happily. "I'm Aerrow. The solo survivor and heir to the name of the Storm Hawks. And like my father said, you guys," He looked to Piper, who was choking back a few stray tears, "are my family. And I will do anything to protect you."

Junko sniffled at the words, rubbing his nose on the sleeve of his pajamas. "Aw man, now I'm gonna cry."

The blond in front of him stood up straight, forcing out a tough guy act, despite his reddening eyes. "Come on Junko. Be tough. Gotta keep it together man."

Moving to the girl as his two guy friends were on the verge of loosing their cool, Aerrow took hold of her hand in his. Her cheeks flushed and her tears where forgotten. "I don't blame you Piper. I never blamed you." he spoke softly.

"Aerrow," she muttered, letting the tears flow freely down her face. "I,"

"You brought me back from the void I was trapped in," he continued, the shock appearing upon the crystal expert's face. "You willed me back to you and everyone else. I'm here right now...because of you. Because of the promise we made."

Piper could no longer contain herself. Releasing his hands, she threw her arms about his neck, gripping him tightly into a hug. It was the one moment that she had wanted for what seemed like forever. Aerrow let himself be brought up into her arms returning the hug, placing his arms around her tiny frame.

"Group hug!" Junko exclaimed at the top of his lungs, causing the knight and girl to separate suddenly. The Wallop scooped up Starling, Finn, Stork and the other two into his massive grasp, swinging them all back and forth quickly out of pure joy.

Stork's brief happy expression faded quickly, looking a little bit more green than normal. "Too...much...contact." he gasped, looking as if he was about to be ill.

Aerrow laughed, though the grimace of pain on his face was not easily hidden. "Not healed. Not healed." He gasped out, though it was more of a laugh than anything else.

Hearing his friend's plead, Junko suddenly blushed. Releasing them quickly, he placed a hand behind his head in embarrassment. "Sorry!"

Placing a hand to Aerrow's shoulder, Starling looked to the rest of teens. "Why don't you go and breakfast set up for everyone. Consider it a celebration to welcome Aerrow back." she proclaimed, getting shouts of approval. "You go and get everything set up. We will be there in a moment."

Though it appeared to be a soft touch, the woman's grasp was firm upon his shoulder, keeping him in place. The others hurried off back into the ship, a new energy renewed within them at their friend's return. Aerrow couldn't help but feel the smile fade as his friend disappeared from view, leaving him with his elder.

"Whatever Ace said to you must have really done something to help." she said, a smile upon her face. "Where is he now?" she questioned, finally knowing that they were alone once more.

Aerrow relaxed, despite her harsh grasp. "Not sure," he told, looking back out to the horizon. "But he'll be close by no matter what. In case I need him. He needs to lay low for a while. But I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again soon."

She widened her eyes at the words. "Are you going to let the others know? About him?"

"There isn't any need to give them anymore shock right now," the red head chuckled a little. "Not after what I have put them through. They know he was a Storm Hawk. But to let them know the real truth right now? I don't think its the right time for that just yet."

"You do realize this will not be an easy road ahead of you," she told him firmly, not releasing him from her hold. "Many will consider you a traitor to Atmos and some on the council will even seek you out for such charges."

Rolling his shoulder, Aerrow removed Starling from his person. "They can think I am a traitor and they can even arrest me for crimes that I know I did commit." Looking back at her, he could only grin. "I will continue to serve with my squadron to protect the Atmos from Cyclonia. The Storm Hawks will always be a protector before anything else."

Watching him as he turned his back to her to head inside, Starling felt the breath escape her. For just a moment, she almost forgot that she was talking to Aerrow. It was in those few words that she saw the very soul of his father fade out of him. The strength and pride in each of his steps as he walked were firm and confident. Just how he had walked all those years ago. It was that pride that made Starling push to become a knight. And now, it was in Aerrow. He wasn't a kid anymore. Far from it. He was truly the image of what the Storm Hawk's leader should and would always be. And despite whatever lay ahead of him, Aerrow would face it head on.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Stay tuned for the epilogue guys! Everything is almost done!


	24. EpilogueTwo Months Later

**Epilogue**

Two Months Later

"So are we all clear on the mission specs?" Piper questioned, glancing around at the others. Scrolls, maps, and various pages of notes were spread about in the organized chaos that she was so well known for were spread out across a makeshift table in the hanger. Though sometimes seeming haphazard, it was the best way for her to keep all of her thoughts focused on the task at hand. Though other squadrons who would have to listen to the mission specs from her would almost always get lost, her normal group of guys would always understand and be out the door ready to prep themselves for the mission.

Finn stretched out in his chair, yawning slightly. "Yeah yeah yeah. Get in, grab the crates from the Cyclonians and get out without too much of a fight." He told, waving her off. "As long as I get to knock a few skulls, I'll be happy."

Nodding in agreement, Junko stood from his chair. "Don't worry Piper. We'll be fine! Everything will go according to plan."

"Um, since when has anything we have done ever go according to plan?" Stork questioned, finishing a few tune-ups to Aerrow's skimmer.

Motioning over at the Merb with her pointer, Piper raised an eyebrow. "Exactly. This is Aerrow's first mission out after what happened. I just want everything to go as smoothly as possible." she explained, looking back over her maps of the south-eastern sector again. "I mean, we are going into heavily guarded territory with the Raptors and they are rumored to have a new weapon that-"

"Deep breaths Piper. That's why we are here."

Smiling, she looked back out into the hanger. There, scattered about, were Starling and three more knights from other squadrons around their sector. Harrier and Suzi-lu were poised atop their skimmers, double-checking all of their equipment for the mission at hand. Rowen from the Red Eagles was kneeling beside his skimmer, checking some of his breaking components to make sure everything was in working order.

"Just relax, eh?" Suzi-lu said with a wink, "We will be fine. Including Aerrow."

Harrier nodded, "Indeed. The young sky knight has us and your squad as well. He will be well protected."

"I know but," Piper said, though was silenced by a hand to her shoulder.

Looking back, the girl was met with a smile. Aerrow stood beside her, keeping his light grasp on her. The last two months had been good to the young leader. He had completely recovered from his injuries from the fight and was finally strong enough to go back on missions with the team. He had gone back to his exercises and normal routine, adding a little more muscle to his form. His hair had grown out, now long enough for him to keep it pulled back in a ponytail. The long coat had become part of his uniform which he now wore proudly.

"Don't worry Piper. Everything will be fine." the red head reassured, a grin upon his face.

"I know, but its your first mission out and," she began to blurt out, but was quickly silenced by a hand across her mouth.

Finn grinned as he slid back up beside Piper. "Our fearless leader says we will be fine. Why can't you just be happy with that?"

Raising an eyebrow, Piper brought up her foot and slammed it down upon the sharpshooter's foot. The blond let out a wail of pain as he staggered backwards, grasping his foot and hopping around. The room roared with laughter as the teen's misfortune as he hobbled back to his skimmer, muttering curses as he went.

The Condor had taken time to heal, but the hallways were once again filled with sounds of happiness. The team had been nothing but supportive and helpful Aerrow's recovery and training. Everyone, even Radarr, helped him with whatever he needed to get back into fighting shape. Finn drilled him with flight techniques, while Junko spared with him in hand to hand combat. But with all the time they spent on training, something even more important was being built once again. They felt that their team had disappeared, but if someone were to have heard that they had gone through hell, they wouldn't even be able to tell. Whatever might of fallen apart was finally coming back together.

"We are approaching the drop zone," Stork announced, heading for the door up to the bridge.

Nodding, Aerrow looked out to the rest of the team, "Everyone! To you stations!" He called over the laughter, bringing everyone back to the task at hand.

Placing his swords onto their place on his back, Aerrow started over towards his skimmer. The others quickly hurried with the rest of their prep, readying their weapons and last minute tune ups. Walking up to his skimmer, Piper quickly appeared at his side. "Remember to go in low," she reminded as she watched him look over his bike quickly.

"Gotcha Piper. We'll wait for your signal." he told, glancing over to her. He could see that despite his reassurance, there was still worry lingering in her eyes. "I promise you that I will come back in one piece." he told, halting his prep.

Smiling at him, Piper turned her back to head to her maps and papers once more. "I'll be watching from here to make sure they don't surprise you from behind."

Straighten up, Aerrow turned his eyes to watch the girl walk away. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he saw her giving out last minute instructions to the rest of the members of the mission. He knew that over the past two months, he had grown and changed for the better as a person and a knight. But there was no doubt in the back of his mind that the crystal expert too had changed. There was something different about her that he could not place, no matter how hard he tried. From the moment she had hugged him that first time back two months ago, there was something there. Something he couldn't place. But the mere thought made his cheeks grow warm.

"If there was ever a moment Aerrow," he shot back to reality at the sound of the voice. There, standing across from him was Starling, a sly grin on her face. Motioning with her eyes to were Piper now stood at her desk, she looked back to him. "this would be it."

Aerrow paused for a moment, taking in the words his elder had told him. "Is it really that obvious?"

Starling shook her head. "Not to the rest of your crew. But I can see it in your eyes." She took her eyes off Aerrow and over to the blue-haired strategist. Aerrow's eyes followed in suit, taking in the scene before him.

"Just remember that you need to keep them distracted Finn! I gave you some extra ammo, just in case!" Piper shouted, getting a nod from the blond in return. She had returned with her papers and maps in hand, triple checking the layout and orders issued with the rest of the team. "We drop out in ten!"

Smiling at her commanding nature, the red head pushed off from his bike and headed over towards the girl again. He knew Starling was smiling a Cheshire grin behind him as he kept his stride wide. There was no better time than now. And he was going to take the chance.

"Piper," he breathed out, grabbing the girl's attention.

"Aerrow? What are you doing?" she questioned, too caught up in the moment to notice that his face had become flushed. She kept her eyes focused on the maps in front of her, "You need to start prepping your bike. We drop out in-"

Grabbing hold of her hand, Aerrow forced Piper to halt in her steps. "The mission can wait for two seconds." he muttered quietly, his face stern.

Seeing him become so serious, the girl quickly turned her focus to him. Aerrow kept his eyes down, trying almost to conceal his eyes from her. He almost seemed to be trembling lightly and his voice had grown very soft. "Aerrow? What is it? What's wrong?"

With one swift pull, the sky knight brought the girl into a tight hug. She let a small gasp escape her lips from the shock of the sudden actions of her friend. He held her close to him, letting his arms wrap about her small frame. Despite every eye in the room coming to rest on the two of them, he did not care. If he didn't say this now, it would never come out.

"Aerrow? What are you-"

"I never thanked you properly Piper," he whispered into her ear, causing the girl to halt her objection. "I've kept it to myself for two months. I can't any longer." Pulling out of the hug, Aerrow reached into his jacket. For a moment he rummaged about, trying to find his inside pocket. He seemed slightly nervous and seemed to be loosing his cool a bit.

Raising an eyebrow, the girl stared him down. "You thanked me plenty Aerrow. Really. You didn't have to do anything for me."

He halted his search, a smile once again returning to his face. "Of course I did. Especially when its something this important." Withdrawing his hand from his coat, he formed it into a tight fist. He paused for a moment, looking down at the item in his hand and then found his gaze meeting the questioning orange eyes of the girl. "Piper, you know that I could hear you in that void I was trapped in. I knew from the moment that I came back, there was a stronger connection between us that could never be broken." Reaching out to her, Aerrow opened his fist, letting the surprise dangle between them.

Piper's eyes widened as she felt her heart leap into her throat. There, hanging from a thin leather cord, was her crystal pendent. The brilliant shimmer had returned to the gem, though there was still a few almost invisible cracks along its shape. It seemed smaller than it was before, though none of it seemed to matter. Even the light seemed to dance off of it. The girl slowly reached out to touch it as the knight held it before her.

"My necklace," she muttered, letting her fingers caress the smooth stone. "But, how?"

"You aren't the only one who knows things about crystals," Aerrow smiled, leaning over to her. He placed the cording about her neck, tying a double knot so that it would not fall off. "Despite what you may think, I actually did pay attention when you gave that lecture on reactivating crystals."

She smiled as he pulled back, letting her take a look at her charm once again. "Its like new."

"Starling told me that you wouldn't wear it again until everything was back to normal," Aerrow said, glancing off to the side. He knew the Piper's smile had faded back into surprise, but he couldn't look at her. His face had become too flustered from seeing her so happy again. "I don't know if normal is what we had or will ever have again. A lot is different is now. I know that I'm not the same, but I am trying to make everything right again."

"Aerrow..." Piper muttered, shocked by the words he spoke.

"Approaching the drop zone in five!" Stork's voice echoed over the loud speaker, forcing his gaze up once more.

Starling and the others mounted up on their skimmers, final preparations reaching completion. Throwing her weapon onto her back, she glanced back over to the two. "Come on Aerrow! We have to head out!"

Looking back over at her knight, the girl could see a shocked and rushed look fill his eyes. But Piper only smiled at him. "Don't worry Aerrow. We can talk more when you come back." Placing her hand to her necklace, she turned to move back to her station. "I'll be motoring you from here. So don't worry. Nothing will-"

It was in the blink of an eye. Aerrow took step forward, reaching out to take hold of Piper's arm. With one swift tug, the girl turned back around and fell right into his arms once more. Looking up in shock, she saw her friend looking down at her with a small grin on his face. His cheeks were flushed, nearly matching his hair. While one hand stayed on her waist, the other one came up to her chin, tilting her head up even more. Before she could even mutter a word of objection, his lips met her.

An instant warmth filled her from head to toe. She let her eyes close, becoming lost in the moment that she only had daydreamed about. Releasing all of the papers and maps in her hands, she returned the embrace and kiss. Her arms wrapped about his neck, letting her fingers play with some of the loose strands of hair from his ponytail. She could feel Aerrow's hand caress her cheek softly, the leather of his gloves soft against her skin. Beneath her, her legs felt weak from shock and pure joy. It was perfect.

Starling and the others took instant notice of the situation. For a moment, the mission and all the other goings on seemed not to matter. Junko had a smile ear to ear, leaning on the handles of his motorcycle. "Well, its about time," he voiced quietly, nodding in approval.

Finn was not as calm. The sharpshooter's jaw had fallen clear opened and his eyes wide from shock. "Uh...wha? Where? Huh?" he babbled out, motioning with his hands at the two and then looking back to the others and then repeating over again. Though, it took a swift smack on the back of his head from Suzi-Lu to finally shut him up.

Radarr quickly scurried his away over to the older skyknight, climbing up to her shoulder. He looked at her briefly and then back to his friend with a content face. Reaching up, she scratched him behind the ears. "Told him so. A perfect moment." she said, gaining a nod of approval from Aerrow's trusted companion.

Pulling apart from each other, the young knight and girl slowly let their eyes open, green meeting orange. For a moment they stared at each other, both flushed and breathing heavier than normal. Aerrow kept his hand upon her face, letting his fingertips touch her olive skin gently. He smiled at her, seeing how red her cheeks had grown and the dazed look in her eyes. "I will never leave you again," he whispered soft enough so that only she could hear. The glazed shock left her, hearing his words. "I will always be your knight Piper. And no matter where I am, I will always come back to you."

The words made the her tear up, "Just like you promised..."

"We are now over the drop zone," Stork's shrill voice called over the intercom again.

Releasing her, Aerrow kissed her once more on the cheek. "We'll be back soon. I promise."

"You better be," she retorted, touching her cheek where he had kissed her.

Turning quickly, the red head was off to his skimmer, all eyes now on him. He quickly mounted up, adjusting the final meters in front of him. Tossing the starting crystal in the ignition, the sound of his skimmer roared. Radarr quickly returned to his perch in his co-pilot set, though a giant grin was on the creature's face. Aerrow caught a glance over his shoulder at the rest of the team behind him. They as well through their bikes into drive riding up on either side of him.

"Feel better?" Starling questioned, coming up beside him.

He looked back to Piper. The girl had just finished picking up the last of her maps and papers, her face still pink. She glanced back at him as he came back to her feet, letting a small wave of her hand escape from her still shocked figure. He returned the wave with a quick wink.

"I think everything will be as it should be now," he told her.

"But but...he. And Piper. And with the kissing. And," Finn was still muttering off to his side, causing Aerrow to roll his eyes a bit. Junko shook his head as he smacked him upside the head once more, snapping the blond out of his own little shock. "How will this make everything okay?"

But Aerrow just shook his head and turned back to face the open doors. The sky ahead of them was a crystal clear blue as a few birds flew on the breeze. Out there, the Cyclonian army and a new mission was laid out before him. There would be problems still and no one could tell him where he would end up. But as he saw the others from the corner of his eye, Aerrow just let the smile grow. It didn't matter anymore. He had his team back and the person he cared for more in the whole Atmos now knew he would be there for her. Letting his engine roar as he revved up his skimmer, Aerrow hit the accelerator, shooting him off once again into the sky.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Thank you to everyone who kept up with this story and for all the amazing reviews. I am really glad you all enjoyed it, despite the huge break it took for me to finish it. Now, I did leave this open for a sequel. If you guys are still interested to see what happens after the fact, I will gladly start posting up some chapters soon.

Thank you again guys! Don't forget to read and review!


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